Life's Lessons
by Maji
Summary: You think Death teaches a difficult lesson? Life's lessons are alot harder... Fin
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. From there, I don't know. I'll make it up as I go along K?

Notes- The sequel to Death's Lessons yay! Set several months afterwards. Yes it is going to be just as dark as Death's Lessons in places. And to answer a few questions via e-mail Death's Lessons and Life's Lessons are not necessarily set in the same story arch as Chance Encounters and My Father's Tracks. Though I am using the same history for Chick and if they where in the same arch Death's Lessons would be set about six months after My Father's Tracks. Hope that helps for those who are going eh? Also this one was very difficult to start. But I promice it will kick up soon. Cheerio! And of course Rock on!

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The brilliant deep gold light of sunset fell across the plain, heat of the day just starting to dissipate with the setting of the sun in the west. Among the peaceful silence of the late afternoon sun, a car's engine cut through the quiet, a steady roar that rose and feel with acceleration. Streak of red swept past a stone formation a cloud of dust pulled with it as the stock car whipped around the last turn.

"You're slowing down Lightning!" Doc called from his perch on a rock over ledge, looking down on the make shift track. Lightning surged on, but his performance was very much less than memorable. Engine roared but he was obviously not pushing, the car hanging back to almost nothing.

"Push on through the turn!" Doc called again, attempting to get the stock car to do something other than driving around in circles on an empty track. By the time he came back around he was dropped back down to fifty. He would have been disqualified from any race in the world right there.

Doc heaved out a sigh, eyes closing for a moment. "Pull up!" He called, silently waiting as Lightning pulled to a stop in front of him. "You hurting?" He questioned, studying Lightning for a moment.

"A bit... Little tired." Lightning muttered, panting softly from the work out that under normal circumstances would have been nothing.

Doc nodded a bit, watching the track for a moment. The Piston Cup qualifying rounds started in less than a month and they weren't even nearly to the point they needed to be. "Alright, lets head back. We'll try again tomorrow." He offered, hopping down off his perch, drawing a nod from Lightning. The stock car quietly pulled up along side of Doc, rolling slowly beside him as they headed back towards town.

"You don't think I'm gonna be ready do you?" Lightning questioned as they drove on, pulling a sigh from Doc.

"I think you could be. It'll just take some work."

Lightning sighed heavily a slight nod given. It had been a little over three months since he had been back in Radiator Springs. Last year's Piston Cup season had ended in tragedy where Lightning was concerned. He had wiped out during a race, sending him into a wall. He had been in a coma for several days... And after three long weeks had finally been discharged into Doc's care.

His progress had been incredibly slow... For a good two weeks he hadn't been permitted to leave Doc's clinic. Finally he had been able to slowly work up to short drives around town. Now he was once more training... For a lot of good it seemed to be doing him. Lightning swore up and down he was somehow getting slower with every practice round...

"Hey Doc?" Lightning questioned after a time, causing Doc to slow down for a moment and listen. "After your wreck... How long did it take you before you could race again?"

Doc thought on that for a moment and offered a slight dip of his grill. "Few months... Of course my case was a bit different..."

"How so?"

"Well, I was an idiot. I wanted to get back into that season and wound up pushing to hard. Blew out something I shouldn't have. Knocked me out for the entire season rather than just half of it." Doc explained, slight shrug given.

"Alright, that I can see I suppose..." Lightning muttered, a heavy sigh given.

"Something's on your mind." Doc reasoned, quietly watching the young stock car.

"Well yeah... What if I wipe out again?"

Doc only chuckled, slight shrug given. "Then you get up, and try again. No one ever said that racing was a safe sport... You know that as well as I do. But you'll be alright if you stick at it."

Lightning smiled a bit and nodded, following Doc into town in silence. He split off once they reached town, silently heading for the clinic as Doc headed for Flo's café.

"Evenin' Doc." Flo greeted, a smile crossing her grill as she set a can of oil down in front of Sarge.

"Evenin'." He muttered, slight chuckle given. Sarge hadn't even noticed, more intent on arguing with Fillmore over something or other. The topic of the discussion currently seemed to be the state of Fillmore's lawn.

Doc quietly tuned them out, instead turning his attention to Sheriff who silently parked beside him, the ageing police car seeming to be in a world of his own.

"Sheriff?" He questioned, gaining nothing as the vehicle quietly stared off into space. "Sheriff... Earth to Sheriff." He called, once more, slight chuckle gained as Sheriff still kept up his blank gaze.

"That's not going to work Doc." Flo commented as she came back through. "Watch." She carefully moved behind him, a few empty can's picked up. She tossed them up into the air, letting them fall with a somewhat deafening clatter. Sheriff jumped forward, startled from his thoughts enough to turn and glare at the show car.

"What's caught your attention so much?" Doc questioned, once the patrol car had once more settled into his parking space.

"Things..." Was the only response gained, a quiet glare stating flatly for Doc to drop it.

Doc supposed he had a right to his own privacy... Sheriff had over the past month or so seemed to have settled right back to normal, if one didn't count the nights he woke up with a sharp scream, that always wound up in Sheriff making a late night phone call or leaving for a few hours... Doc supposed he deserved that much... He couldn't imagine what Sheriff's dreams held these days but one meeting with Death had convinced him not to think to lightly of it. From what very little Sheriff had told him he knew that most of his connections and visions did in fact come from dreams and start as what most would think of as a normal nightmare, only to later turn into something much more real and horrible.

Upon returning for a good week or two the patrol car had been distant and irritable. Doc had briefly attempted to get a bit more information from him, but that had been shot down quickly enough. The only thing Sheriff seemed certain on is that he didn't want anyone else to know of his little ability. He wasn't entirely thrilled with Doc knowing but he did so he wasn't making a further case on it.

"Sheriff maybe you should go take the rest of the day off." Doc advised quietly, drawing a slow shake of Sheriff's grill. "No Doc... I don't think that's such a good idea..."

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Night fell slowly over a quiet little town, the neon lights that flickered across town the only thing cutting through the slightly overcast darkness. The lack of visitors to the town was normal for the off season. However the overcast sky was not.

Sheriff frowned quietly as he watched the clouds float by the moon and stars entirely hidden from view. It wasn't the season for rain... Unusual weather patterns that the dessert didn't normally see but he supposed it was possible. Just highly improbable.

The dust briefly picked up around him as he sat parked behind the billboard at the edge of town, suggesting the wind had changed. Also not entirely out of the question. Though once again strange for that particular time of year...

The wind blew harder, the sudden ping of sand hitting his side enough to drive him to the safety of the station. No one in their right mind would be out driving on a night like this anyway...

With a heavy sigh he quickly left the safety of his billboard and headed back for town. It was one of those nights that set his nerves on edge...

Ten miles south dust billowed up from the road. A flash of black and flame blended with the night, the eery glow of a fifties style Ford Roadster streaking through the night without a care. Though most would have looked at the car and seen an ageing vehicle attempting to retouch his youth... Not an ounce of age was held to him in appearance. As fresh and new as would have been held to the fifties.

He streaked to a stop only a few feet from the billboard Sheriff had been behind, gaze narrowed at the spot for a moment. Golden eyes studied his surroundings as if not entirely sure about it. With a slight shrug the Roadster kept going, now moving at a more sane speed towards town. Once more he slowed when coming up on the city limits, the lights of town seeming to fascinate him as he pulled to a stop in front of Flo's café. It was getting late. Even Lizzie had decided it was time to take her nap inside, the normal vehicles that chose to hang around town for a while once the hot sun went down choosing to spend their time inside instead.

The stray, waves of what sounded like Hendrix floated through the air from Fillmore's home but even he was settling for the night, the music stopping after a few moments and whatever lights had been on abruptly cutting off.

The Roadster quietly circled town for a few minutes before pulling into the Cozy Cone Motel. A pretty young Porsche dozed behind the counter, pulling a slight smirk from the Roadster.

"Excuse me Miss." Sally jerked awake, startled by the deep voice, though quickly professional as she let a smile cross her grill. "Hello sir. Welcome to the Cozy Cone Motel. Can I help you?"

"One room please." The Roadster offered a pleasant smile, drawing a nod from Sally.

"Of course. How long are you planning to stay?"

"I don't know yet." The Roadster offered slowly, quietly glancing out the window of the main office. "Maybe a day or two... Maybe a week."

"I'll just put you down for an indefinite stay then." Sally offered, silently checking him in and nodded. "Name?"

"Damien Cain." Was the simple answer, that drawing another nod. "Do you have an ID please?"

"Of course." Was once more the response as Sally quietly finished checking him in.

"Thank you Mr. Cain. Cone four."

That drew out a slow nod as the Roadster left the office just as silently as he had come.

"Strange fellow..." Sally muttered to herself before a shrug was given, quietly settling back where she was parked to flip through an old magazine she had swiped from Doc's office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning light proved strangely misty and dark, the weather hanging on like a heavy blanket. Strange weather for Nevada, that time of year... Very strange.

Doc frowned as he quietly watched the skyline from his window at the clinic, soft sigh escaping him. That was the kind of weather that made every joint and gear in him ache. That was one of the reasons he had stayed in Nevada... Though he wasn't so sure he had ever seen this weather pattern, this time of year before. Sure they had their share of rain occasionally... Those instances where rare and very far between. They didn't call it a dessert for nothing...

"Doc?" Lightning's voice startled him from his thoughts, a slight chuckle given.

"Morning Lightning" Doc offered, slight tilt of his frame given. Lightning had been more or less living with Doc since coming back to Radiator Springs from Daytona. It had been a long and hard recovery but he was finally back on his tires. Lightning was technically ready to move out once more, though for the past year or so until his sponsors could afford to set him up with a grant to set up his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs he had been more or less living at the motel.

Not such a bad set up but when it came down to it, rather than have to move again it made more sense for him to wait another month or so until his actual home would be ready for him to move into. Doc was more than happy to offer his own home. It gave him a chance to fuss whenever he spotted Lightning doing something that was counter productive or in general not keeping tabs on his own health.

"Wow... Looks like rain." Lightning muttered, coming up beside Doc to gaze out the window at the sky.

"Yes it does... Strange weather." Doc muttered, silently pulling back and giving Lightning a good nudge. "Come on kid. Breakfast then to the track. Try and beat whatever storm is coming."

Lightning groaned but nodded, silently following the older car out and across the Flo's café. Most of the town was already out and about. Lightning split off from Doc and quietly parked beside Sally, a light nudge given to shake her from her thoughts. She smiled, a quick greeting offered and a friendly nudge.

Within' moments Mater had pulled up at Lightning's other side a sleepy sounding greeting offered. Seemed no one really wanted to wake up with the lack of sun...

"Morning Sheriff!" Lightning suddenly yelled out, drawing a soft grumble from the old patrol car that was pulling up.

Sally couldn't help a chuckle but gave Lightning a reprimanding nudge with one tire. That had been Lightning's thing since coming to Radiator Springs. Sheriff wasn't exactly a morning person on a normal basis. Mostly because he was out for most of the night patrolling the surrounding area. Lightning on general wasn't either but every time he saw Sheriff in the morning that didn't mean he couldn't act the part of a morning person.

Sheriff's reaction didn't disappoint either. He raised one eye ridge, soft grunt given. His entire frame was stating flatly, 'speak to me again and I will lock you in the impound until it falls down around you.'

That look was always enough to shut Lightning up fairly quickly but he still held the quiet smirk that suggested, the next morning he would once more be bouncing around Flo's café with a chipper good morning for the old patrol car. That simple morning greeting would never get old.

"Who's that?" Flo's voice broke the relative silence, drawing the attention of all gathered to a lone black Roadster making his way out of the Cozy Cone Motel.

"Mr. Damien Cain..." Sally supplied quietly, slight frown crossing her grill. "Checked in, near midnight last night... Kinda gives me the creeps." She muttered.

"Bad vibes man." Fillmore whispered, in agreement the old bus quietly backing into his spot near Sarge.

"Just a traveler..." Flo offered, slow shake of her grill given. Though even with that in mind she shrunk back a bit behind Ramone as the Roadster came closer, a slow nod given to those gathered.

"Can I help you?" Flow questioned, drawing a slow smile from the Roadster. He was pleasant and polite... But somehow still almost surreal. Dangerous somehow...

"Just breakfast if you don't mind." He offered, that voice of his sounding almost like, very distant thunder. Deep but much to soft.

"Sure thing honey. I got the best fuel this side of Nevada." She offered happily, seeming to be ready to get out of dodge with the excuse of serving. She quickly ducked inside the building to set the fuel pumps and grab a can of oil as the Roadster silently pulled into an empty space somewhat away from everyone else... To silently. His engine was barely a soft whisper.

"So... Where ya from stranger?" Sheriff questioned, the patrol car seeming to be the one more than willing to pry out who this strange vehicle was...

"Just south of here." Was the simple answer, the car not seeming to be willing to speak if it wasn't in his best interest.

"Oh really? Here for a reason then?"

"Just passing through... Liked the town. Thought I might stay a while." The Roadster explained, drawing another slow nod from Sheriff.

Well no one could fault him for that...

Flo quietly returned with his fuel and oil, a quick nod given before she made herself scarce again.

The occupants of the little town fell almost silent so long as the Roadster was there, only commenting on the weather every now and again. The Roadster was just as silent, quietly finishing off his fuel and oil before he quietly paid Flo and set off, the old car leaving as silently as he had come.

"He gives me the flippin' creeps!" Lightning stated flatly, light shudder given.

"Nothin' wrong with him." Doc muttered, still watching the direction that the strange vehicle had taken.

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with him." Lightning offered, slight shrug given. "But you can't honestly tell me that he doesn't give you the creeps."

Doc was quiet for a moment before a soft sigh was given. "That's entirely beyond the point."

"But I still notice that you don't deny it- ouch!" He yelped as Sally gave him a good nudge with one tire.

"Be nice Lightning. He hasn't done anything."

"Hey, weren't you the one that just ten minutes ago-"

"Kid if I where you I would drop that argument." Sheriff advised, drawing a slow nod from Lightning. Sally only laughed a slight wink shot in Sheriff's direction.

"Thanks Sheriff."

"Hey, sometimes the kid needs help keeping himself in your good graces." Sheriff offered with a shrug, drawing a soft laugh from Sally.

Distant thunder erupted across the sky as Lightning nursed his oil, drawing a slight wince from the stock car. Without a word he set his breakfast aside, Doc silently moving out once more to the make shift track. That storm was rolling in fast.

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Cain quietly watched the town from his vantage point just inside Ornament Valley. He quietly watched as Red went about watering his flowers and Mater silently headed off to his junk yard to do whatever it was that Mater did with his time...

He watched as Sheriff drove out to his normal post and parked behind the billboard... Watched as Lightning and Doc headed out to the track...

They went through their day to day lives, entirely happy with their own existence...

"Hmm Just a happy little town..." He muttered to himself, coming to attention for a moment, to the outside world the Roadster seeming to be talking to himself.

"Yes of course I know..."

He frowned, once more seeming to be listening to some unheard voice and sighed.

"So little patients... Very well."

With that he silently rolled off of his view point, moving into the quiet little town below once more.

The problem was he needed someone... A puppet of sorts... Someone to feed off of. But who?

He fed off of fear. Fear and the chaos that it created... Therefore he needed someone with a lot of it...

He silently reached out his mind, brushing against the minds of the town's citizens. Mostly a dull, and quiet little town... Still though... He just might find what he needed.

Fillmore was a no go. The bus was to laid back. Plus he was so superstitious that he just might try some weird mumbo jumbo in retaliation that just might work.

Lightning was a no... The car had lived to good a life. But for the occasional fear of commitment their was nothing to work with... And his little phobia of clowns wasn't exactly what he was looking for.

Mater was a no... The truck was to innocent to be truly afraid...

Doc no... His memories where sad but there was very little to truly cause fear...

Sheriff no... He couldn't use a medium. He would pick up on things to fast...

Sally no... Once more there was nothing that she could really fear...

Flo? No... The only thing she feared was losing Ramone... And vice versa. Something he might be able to work with if push came to shove... But for now no...

Red? Now there was a thought. The fire truck had real demons in his past... Demons that had long ago driven him to silence. Maybe later... For now he needed something... Special.

Lizzie? No. The old bat was possibly useable after a while. But she wouldn't last long if he started in on her.

Luigi and Guido? Not enough.

Sarge? He stopped where he was, a smile crossing his grill. A soldier... He had seen war. Real terror and death. Had seen his friends dying around him... That one would know what fear really was... True fear came from reality. Not the creepy feeling one got after watching a monster movie and certainly not the ridiculous fear of clowns or spiders.

Real fear came from living it. From seeing something so horrible it would forever be worked into the thoughts and emotions of the one who had seen it. Sarge... Had been there. Had seen real fear... He could see that just from the brief connection, so brief that the army jeep didn't even feel it.

That he could work with. Slow smile crossed his grill as he silently drove through town. The fear of the unknown for the time gained the ability to do what he needed to. Their fear in him would be what condemned the Jeep.

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"Lightning your frame's to tight! Keep the turns looser or your going to wind up in the dirt again!" Doc yelled, above Lightning's engine as the young racer roared around the track. Lightning roared around the track, determined to nail the turns this time... That had been a problem since his injury. The turns...

Frown crossed his grill as one of the trickier turns popped up on the old dirt track. He threw his entire frame into, counter steering against the curve as Doc taught him. He went into a slide, flowing with the turn rather than against it.

"Good! Keep going!" Doc yelled, drawing a smile to Lightning's grill. He roared on, moving for another lap. Around Willie's Butte and back to that tight turn repeating the action. He was finally getting it...

"Boy's gettin' better." Sheriff's voice startled Doc from his thoughts but he chuckled and offered a nod.

"If he keeps going at this rate he'll make the beginning of the season." Doc explained, watching Lightning as he roared around Willie's Butte again. "Much better than he was."

Sheriff nodded a bit, quietly watching Lightning drive for a long moment before a crack of thunder ripped across the sky.

"Ain't gonna be out here much longer." Sheriff mused, Doc nodding in agreement.

"So what's the stranger up to?" Doc questioned, turning his attention briefly to Sheriff.

"Don't know. Ain't seen him around town for the better part of the day. He rolled through, late morning but no one's seen him to much."

"Probably a good thing." Doc muttered, gaining a nod from Sheriff. "What are your thoughts on him Sheriff?" Doc questioned, his voice dropping down enough to let Sheriff know he wasn't just talking about a gut feeling or the car was acting suspicious.

"I don't know yet... He hasn't done anything wrong yet so we should wait it out I suppose. So far just... Something don't feel right about it. But for once my mind is pretty quiet." He explained, with a sigh.

Doc nodded slowly, frown crossing his grill as he thought. "Alright then... Keep an eye on him."

Sheriff nodded, silently leaving the two to keep training. He couldn't have called it better himself...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Night fell slowly, the threat of a storm still there but never quite coming. The clouds hung over the sky like a morbid warning...

Once more the town was tucking in for the night, Cain disappearing into his room at the Cozy Cone as silently as he had the night before. The town fell to normality in the absence of the Roadster that uneasy feeling somewhat lifting. As usual the occupants of the town settled in the late hours of the night, sleep one by one finding them...

Sarge wandered about his small home quietly, putting things into the perfect order he was accustomed to before bed. He had kept up his military like training and neatness right through his retirement. A good habit to keep in his thoughts... Slight smile crossed his grill as he headed for bed, unable to suppress a soft yawn. He hadn't realized just how tired he was. In the distance he could hear the sounds of Hendrix... He knew from experience that he didn't need to bother with yelling at Fillmore to shut it off. It would shut off on its own in about half an hour.

In the mean time he was so use to it, he fell asleep without trouble to the sounds of the old music that Fillmore called the classics.

He dreamed...

Horrible images. In Sarge's mind he was no longer in Radiator Springs... He was much younger and in the company of soldiers...

His best friend had been drafted along with him... They had left their small home town in the middle of Tennessee and boarded a ship to take them overseas... Now they where in the middle of a war. At first the two where excited to be over there. It was far away from the farm. It was far away from anyone they knew. It was an adventure... Then it had turned into a nightmare. The reality of war had hit.

Explosion after explosion... The fear of possibly never going home...

In his dream a shell exploded only feet away from him, catching his best friend in the full blast, killing him instantly and knocking Sarge back several feet before he came to rest, rolling onto his hood, helpless with his tires in the air.

In reality thunder cracked across the night sky with the force of an explosion... The loud sound woke Sarge from his sleep... But his mind didn't entirely click to reality...

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Doc snatched awake as a loud knock rapped against his door. In the next room Lightning groaned and got out of bed, apparently taking on the responsibility of seeing what was up. A frown crossed Doc's grill as he listened, wondering what would draw someone to waking him, this time of night. It was Fillmore's voice at the door.

He sounded worried... That wasn't like Fillmore... He silently got up, moving up behind Lightning, the relieved expression crossing Fillmore's features worrying him.

"Doc, Sarge is sick." He explained, emphasizing the word sick. Doc's eyes widened a bit, but he nodded slowly.

"Where is he?"

"In his house. He was in the yard when I found him. I think he figures his house is safe... Sheriff is already over there."

Doc gave a nod and silently nudged Lightning who was looking a little bewildered. "Lightning go see Flo. Tell her that Sarge is sick and I need a bit of fuel to calm him down." Lightning frowned and nodded, silently heading out into the night.

Doc pulled out of his clinic, a frown crossing his grill as he followed Fillmore. Sarge hadn't done this in years... What had brought it on?

Normally he could expect it... One year there had been an air show in the next town over. All through the night and day there had been jets going over head in a wild display of their skills. Sarge had, been beside himself...

There was also the cold nights that January brought... The cold reminded Sarge of something though he wasn't sure what...

Then there was the time that the transformer on the telephone lines had blown in the middle of the night. It had been loud enough to wake everyone in town. Sarge had woken up in another world entirely...

But this time? He couldn't think of anything... The only thing strange was the storm and he didn't think that would set him off...

Doc silently rushed into Sarge's home right behind Fillmore, side stepping the business part and into his two room living quarters.

Sarge was parked in his living room/kitchen though he didn't look happy about it. He remained tense, getting up every now and again to pace quickly from one side of the room to the other like a caged animal. Sheriff was steadily attempting to talk him down, insisting that he was safe, where as Sarge didn't seem to think so.

"Sarge" Doc tried, his voice soft and soothing. It always depended on how far gone Sarge was as to what method worked... Doc would rather try soothing first.

Sarge's attention instantly snapped to Doc. He let out a low snarl, seeming to be ready to pounce.

"Sarge, now don't start. It's alright. Why don't you tell me what happened?" Doc tried, but he was getting nowhere fast.

"Stay back, Soldier." The snarl it was said with, caused Doc to back away a few inches. He gestured with one tire, sending Fillmore out to see what was keeping Flo.

"This is one of the worst..." Sheriff whispered quietly, drawing a nod from Doc. "I don't think he's really awake."

Sarge once more snarled and backed away, suddenly bolting in an attempt to move around Doc and out the door. Doc quickly pulled to the side, side stepping into his path. That was enough to drive Sarge back again apparently.

"Sarge, look around you." Doc reasoned quietly, keeping his voice low. "We're not on the battle front. This isn't a Nazi camp. You're in Radiator Springs Nevada. Your at home and your safe."

Sarge, didn't seem to believe him. He only snarled and yelled out his name rank and serial number, putting as much distance between himself and Doc as possible. Soldier defiance... Name rank and serial number was all that was permitted to be known...

Doc, sighed heavily. He didn't want it to come to this but Sarge was getting out of hand... He was a trained soldier... He could hurt someone if he really got going. He nodded at Sheriff and the two quietly moved to corner their friend.

"Sarge, come on now. You know us." Sheriff insisted.

Sarge was having none of it. He abruptly bolted, zeroing in on who he saw as the leader and therefore the primary target. He charged at Doc, but Sheriff was a step ahead of him. He leapt at Sarge, hitting the Jeep in the side and knocking him several feet. The Jeep shook a bit, slowly seeming to 'wake up' a puzzled gaze given to Sheriff and Doc. Sheriff quickly backed off, willing to give Sarge room if he needed it, while Doc slowly approached.

"Doc?" Sarge whispered quietly, sinking down on his shocks a bit.

"It's alright Sarge." Doc insisted, moving to park near his old friend. Sarge gave a slight shudder, shaking on his frame.

"What happened?"

"I don't know... Everything was alright this evening... I don't know..."

"Alright Sarge it's ok. Just take a few deep breaths." Doc instructed, giving the Jeep a slight nudge. From his side, a light nudge startled him into turning to face Flo. He offered her a strained smile and silently took the can of oil she pushed towards him.

"Here Sarge, take this." Doc instructed, pushing it towards the distressed Jeep. He didn't question it. After so many years he knew what it was. It was laced with a sedative that Doc used when he started losing it...

XXXXXXXXXXX

It was nearly three hours before Doc was comfortable to leave Sarge. Even then Fillmore wound up sleeping in Sarge's living room. Doc always found that friendship highly amusing but despite their arguments the two where as close as siblings.

Doc quietly sat parked under the town's lone street light as the town once more shut down after it's brief rush. The lights in Sarge's home shut off, as well as the lights in Flo's home. Sheriff didn't even bother to head back to the billboard. He quietly ducked into the station, that had eventually turned into his own home...

The only lights on in the town where from his clinic... And cone number four at the Cozy Cone.

It took him a long moment to realize there was someone in the window... Cain... Not just standing in the window the car was watching him.

The black Roadster offered that pleasant smile of his and quietly winked.

Despite all that had happened... Doc got the distinct impression that the car was laughing at him...

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Fire... It was everywhere..._

_There wasn't a building in town that wasn't burning..._

_The Cozy Cone was gone..._

_So was Doc's clinic but he wouldn't notice. Doc himself was gone. Massive engine failure only a few days before... A good thing maybe... It would have killed the old car to see the destruction of his home now..._

_When the fire hit Flo's Café the whole damn thing had gone up..._

_Somewhere in the chaos... There was laughter. Deep laughter like rolling thunder._

_In the middle of the chaos was a black Roadster... Flames etched up across his ebon finish._

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff snatched awake with a sharp yelp, quickly glancing around the comforting darkness of his living quarters...

The pain lacing through his hood and engine drove him to his tires, quickly searching for a can of oil and a Tylenol...

He remained in the small area that made up his kitchen for a lone while, quietly panting and willing the pain away...

That hadn't been a nightmare... It hadn't been someone speaking to him from the other side either... That had been a vision... He was sure of it. Only visions came with that much of a splitting hood ache...

But why in the hell would a vision show him something as horrible as that?

"My guess would be so you could learn something."

Sheriff jumped, the can of oil in front of him spilling out across the kitchen floor.

That was a voice he didn't think he would hear again... Didn't particularly want to, knowing what was attached to it, considering what Julia had told him. He hadn't even realized he had spoken out loud...

He slowly turned around, facing off with the familiar frame of the young female black viper. Ebony only offered a smile, the sports car giving a chuckle. Death had returned...

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. From there, I don't know. I'll make it up as I go along K?

Notes: This week I'm taking my final exams for this quarter so I may not get the next chapter out as fast as I normally would. Still though I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Have fun reading y'all! Rock On!

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"Surprised?"

Sheriff quietly glared at Ebony for a long moment, before giving a slow shake of his grill. "Amazingly enough not really... Julia told me that you managed to get the job of Death... They happen to tell you that no one every actually succeeds in that job?"

"Yeah they said something about that... Personally I think I got this. Nothing to it." She stated, a smile crossing her grill.

"Great... Now forgive me but I don't exactly have a good running relationship with death. So get out." Sheriff snapped, drawing a somewhat flat gaze from Ebony.

"Hey now, you where my buddy when I was a rogue spirit. Now that I'm Death I'm not good enough for ya eh?"

Sheriff sighed and gave a slight roll of his eyes. "Actually I think I was more your safety net... But with that in mind why are you here anyway?"

Ebony offered a somewhat odd look, one eye ridge shooting upward. "You mean you don't already know?" She sighed, brief wince given. "I was sure you did... It's so obvious..."

"What's obvious?" Sheriff demanded, a suspicious tone edging into his voice.

"You're dead..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sarge let out a heavy sigh as he quietly paced back and forth across the bedroom part of his home. Despite the light sedative Doc had given him he was wired... He wasn't entirely sure where the hell that dream had even come from and now it seemed to plague the mind...

In th next room he could hear Fillmore snoring softly. The hippie more than likely thought Sarge had gone to sleep as he always would after a dream like that... However this time something was keeping him going.

Sarge gave a soft growl and moved to the window of his home. Across the street only a single light was on, the Cozy Cone Motel's lone occupant apparently still awake. A little late for him to be awake...

He frowned and quietly backed away from the window moving around the room and through old memories... He hadn't thought about his best friend in years... His name had been Sam... He had grown up just next door to Sarge and the two had spent the better part of their lives together in some way or another. He had been as close to Sam as he had been to any one of his eleven siblings. Sam had been an only child... For Sam, Sarge had been his older brother. Even though they where only six months apart Sarge had always acted older than that. Hell he had to. He had been one of twelve. It was grow up and survival of the fittest in that house. Not that it hadn't been a good way to grow up. He wouldn't have had it any other way. But still one tended to grow up a little quickly when competing with so many others.

It was nearly three in the morning before Sarge finally drug himself back to bed, the Jeep settling back down into nightmarish dreams once more...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff's stunned expression had been way to much for Ebony. She erupted into laughter, setting back on her shocks until her frame was resting on the ground. That gained her a somewhat sour glare but still she couldn't help it.

"Sorry Sheriff..." She choked out between laughs, eyes tightly closing. "They won't let me mess with anyone's mind these days. I have to take it where I can."

"That's not funny." Sheriff commented flatly, pulling another snort of laughter from Ebony.

"Maybe not to you... But yeah it was." She grinned at him, tire reaching out to give a slight nudge though pulling back the gesture before actually connecting. She had a tendency to forget that the living had a problem with coming into contact with Death.

Sheriff glared at her, Ebony slowly mellowing out.

"Sorry Sheriff. Lighten up a bit. It wouldn't hurt you to smile occasionally you know." She pointed out.

"Not when it concerns mortality." Sheriff snapped but he couldn't help a smile tugging at the edges of his grill. Alright so it was a little amusing, and he had set himself up for it...

Ebony chuckled and shrugged, the Viper getting right back to business. "Anyway, I'm here because you have a problem. A big one... But if you haven't figured out just what the problem is yet I can't clue you in."

Sheriff nodded slowly, a frown given as he thought back on the events of the past few days. "Sarge's nightmare?"

"Well yes that's part of it." Ebony offered, a smile given. "You're a smart medium. You'll get it." She stated, attention abruptly pulling back as a soft beep went off.

"Oiy... People dying all the time don't they get that there's only one of me." She muttered, quietly checking a pager like object.

"I thought you worked with Seth..." Sheriff ventured, confused gaze given.

"Well yeah... But I get the people who just need to be guided to the light. He gets the cars who need to be drug kicking and screaming. You know the one's who are going down a few levels." Ebony explained and shrugged. "Ah well. I'll be back, then I'll explain. I got a train derailment. Those are always fun."

And with that she was gone, leaving a very stunned Sheriff in her wake...

It was amazing how Ebony changed the face of Death... Up until Lightning had been hurt Death had been a black Ford Mustang named Seth... After his biggest blunder the council fired him. However they calmed down enough to split the job in to and allow him to earn his way back into their good graces and give the same opportunity to Ebony who at the time had been a rogue spirit. Now they shared the job of guiding souls to the next life in one way or another. But Ebony wasn't someone that would normally be expected to the job. Somehow he got the feeling that Death had never had a face like Ebony before...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning proved just as dark and overcast as the day before. A strange event to say the least... One day could be overlooked but two? Doc frowned as he quietly parked outside the doors of his clinic, casting a slow gaze around town. It was quiet... A little to quiet.

It didn't look as if anyone else was up yet. After a good fifteen minutes of watching the town, he watched Luigi quietly cross the street from the small house he shared with Guido. A bit late but he silently unlocked the front doors of his shop and opened it for business as Guido silently crossed the street, apparently still half asleep. Strange behavior... Normally Guido was a morning person and running circles around his friend and boss.

At the court house Red silently edged out of his own home, creeping out of the connecting garage to water the flowers around town. He seemed almost skittish though that wasn't exactly strange behavior where the fire truck was concerned.

Across the street Flo silently flipped on the open sign of her Café, Ramone crossing over to his body shop without another word, the both of them tossing signs or oil cans around their shops as if irritated. Had they been arguing? Doc frowned the normally happy little town seeming almost morbidly solemn this morning... Almost as if someone had died... What in the hell was going on with his town?

Doc silently moved away from the clinic and down the street towards Red. "Morning Red." He called, though to his surprise the fire trunk looked as if he was ready to jump out of his shocks. The massive truck cowered down, backing off a bit.

"What's wrong Red?" Doc questioned softly, the fire truck only giving a whimper and going back to his watering. Doc sighed a bit, leaving the overly shy truck to his own. He hadn't always been that way... He worried about that truck. Didn't seem worrying would do much good this morning though.

"Morning Flo." He called, the response a soft grunt from the normally cheerful car.

"Something wrong?"

Flo gave a sigh as she quietly brought Doc his usual. "Oh, nothing Doc. Just Ramone being an ass." She offered, the last part of her sentence raised up so that Ramone could hear it. For his part Ramone ignored her, and silently went about setting up a new window display.

"Flo are you alright?" Doc questioned, a frown crossing his grill. After a moment she paused, a frown briefly crossing her grill. "I think so... Is Sarge alright?" She questioned, finally seeming to calm down a bit.

"I haven't seen him yet this morning. If he's not up soon I'll go over to his house..." Doc offered, studying Flo for a long moment.

Flo nodded, silently going about stacking the cans that she had knocked over in her brief show of temper not all that long ago.

"Flo did you sleep alright?" Doc questioned after a few moments, pulling a nod from Flo.

"I suppose so Doc. I don't know, kept having nightmares. Guess it was the storm."

Doc frowned deeply and gave a nod. Suppose that could be it... But still something didn't seem right.

Sheriff's soft greeting nearly set him jumping out of his shocks as he spun around to face his old friend. Sheriff pulled back several feet, a somewhat puzzled gaze given.

"You alright Doc?" Doc gave a slow nod in response, a heavy sigh muttered. "Sorry Sheriff."

Sheriff nodded slowly and quietly glancing out around the town, a soft sigh given. "Somethin's up."

Doc nodded his agreement, thoughtful gaze crossing his features.

"Morning" Both vehicles glanced up as Mater pulled into his normal spot, his usual sleepy self. Always half asleep until breakfast then bouncing around town... At least someone was the same as they normally where.

"I have a bad feeling about this Doc." Sheriff muttered, lowering his voice a bit as he glanced down the street to where Red was trying to become as small as possible while keeping his beloved plants watered.

Doc slowly nodded, heavy sigh muttered. "Know anything that isn't exactly police related?" Doc questioned, drawing a nod from Sheriff.

"Death's pokin' around..."

That brought a surprised gaze from Doc, Sheriff only able to offer a slow shrug. "She says that she's here to help but she can't clue us in until we figure it out for ourselves. It's the whole 'we must not interfere with the mortals' thing that they go on about... Funny they find wonderful ways to interfere when you don't want them to but the second you need them they can't get involved."

"Think it has to do with the stranger?" Doc questioned, but Sheriff shook his grill.

"Doesn't seem likely... I mean it's not like he caused Sarge to go off the deep end..."

Doc nodded a bit, silently watching Sheriff for a moment. "Something else is on your mind." He muttered, catching Sheriff's attention.

"Had a vision last night." Sheriff finally muttered, a somewhat puzzled expression gained from Doc.

"A vision?"

Sheriff nodded slowly. "Yep... About this town... Haven't had one of those in years... Since the police academy I think... Might have even been high school."

A loud bang, caused both of them to jump, spinning around towards where Flo had been cleaning around the café. She sighed heavily, silently staring at the oil can that had fallen off of a high shelf, oil splattering all over the pavement.

She didn't say a word as she quietly took a hold of a mop and began cleaning the mess.

The two where quietly watching her mop when a black shadow fell over the quiet café... Cain pulled in as silently as he had the day before, pulling up to the far booth. Flo set what she had been doing aside and served him breakfast in silence, getting out of dodge as soon as possible.

"Morning." Sheriff venture, pulling the attention of the Roadster. The Roadster glanced up and smiled, something about him almost... More forbidding this morning...

"Well good morning Sheriff. I assume you slept well?" The Roadster offered, his voice much more stable and firm. That breathless lilt was gone, leaving behind a calm and collected Roadster...

"Yes... I was just about to ask you the same..."

"Oh never better. This town is amazing for one's sense of security. I just might stay longer than first anticipated. A very hospitable community you have."

"Oh we pride ourselves on that." Sheriff stated slowly, gaze narrowing on the Roadster. The old vehicle only smiled, soft chuckle given.

"Oh I'm sure you do. As it is, I'm afraid I must cut this little engagement short. There are things I need to do before settling for the afternoon and the morning is the best time to do them. Good day to you gentlemen." He offered with a nod, silently paying Flo for the breakfast and setting off, driving out of town.

"He seem different to you?" Sheriff asked Doc, that only gaining a nod. Very different...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff dozed quietly as the sun slowly trailed across the sky, in it's steady journey west... By mid afternoon the town had finally somewhat woken up, a bit more chipper than they had been that morning. Flo and Ramone made up apparently, as happy as ever... Sally had finally pulled herself out of bed... Lightning... Was somewhere. He didn't exactly wake up until about noon.

Sarge had been a little distant for the day but otherwise he was alright... Red seemed ok... He wasn't entirely sure what had set everyone off but they seemed to have settled back into their daily routine.

The overcast sky was just darkening to the first signs of evening when the slow hum of an engine caught Sheriff's attention. Cain moved at a steady pace, well below the speed limit past the bill board that Sheriff had parked behind. Sheriff gave a frown but shrugged it off. He couldn't exactly chase him all over hill and dale if he wasn't breaking any laws...

He sighed and was just about to doze off again when a voice cut through the evening air. "It's driving you crazy isn't it?"

He jumped a bit and turned his gaze to the black Mustang beside him, idly wondering just how long he had been there... Though knowing Seth as long as it took.

Seth offered him a smile, stretching idly on his shocks. "So tell me Sheriff. How's kicks been since the last time I saw you?"

"What do you want Seth?"

"Just to say hello. I'm hurt that you would think I want something Sheriff."

Sheriff glared at him but let that go, silently casting his attention back to the road.

"Why are you out here Sheriff? Who could you possibly be waiting for?" Seth questioned, though this time Sheriff simply ignored him.

"Either way, doesn't really matter. I'm here on business this time." Seth muttered, the car letting a smile cross his grill.

"Doesn't really bother me anymore. You're not Death."

"Hey now, I haven't entirely lost the position. I hunt rogue spirits. I go after those who are going straight to hell. So maybe I should be a bit more of a worry. I mean really Sheriff. As much meddling as you've done over the years maybe I'll be the face you see when you die." Seth offered, with a chuckle.

"That so? Well then maybe these abilities are my problem then. You can take um." Sheriff offered, cutting his gaze towards the Mustang. "It's been a curse since day one."

"Hah! Maybe that will be what lets you see me. Not appreciating the gift that the creator has bestowed upon you."

"Why are you here Seth?" Sheriff questioned, cutting the chase before the Mustang could play anymore mind games with him.

"To talk to you of course. Though honestly that wasn't my original purpose but you looked lonely sitting behind this bill board all by yourself."

"You know... It would be easier not to meddle in the affairs of the afterlife if I didn't see you every time I turned around... So maybe you should spit it out and get away." Sheriff suggested, not even bothering to look in Seth's direction. Instead he watched a tumbleweed idly rolling down the road.

"True..." Seth mused and gave a shrug. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase Sheriff. I'm on thin ice as it is, so I'm going to make this operation as quick as possible. I'm hunting a demon this time around. Nasty little bugger."

"Alright... So what's the catch. Why are you discussing this with me and not hunting..." It took him a moment to realize it, but Sheriff was talking to thin air. He sighed and gave a slight roll of his eyes. Why the spirit tormenting him couldn't be a little less random he would never know...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Fire... It was everywhere..._

_There wasn't a building in town that wasn't burning..._

_The Cozy Cone was gone..._

_So was Doc's clinic but he wouldn't notice. Doc himself was gone. Massive engine failure only a few days before... A good thing maybe... It would have killed the old car to see the destruction of his home now..._

_When the fire hit Flo's Café the whole damn thing had gone up..._

_Somewhere in the chaos... There was laughter. Deep laughter like rolling thunder._

_In the middle of the chaos was a black Roadster... Flames etched up across his ebon finish._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doc snatched awake, as a loud blast echoed through the town. It took him a moment or two to realize that he wasn't dreaming... That it was Red's horn going off. That the loud screech that was now cutting through his mind was his siren.

He frowned and jumped to his tires, moving quickly to see what was up. Red's siren? That couldn't be a good sign. He hurried out of his clinic and into the street, a quick glance shot back and forth... Nothing seemed to be out of order...

The town was quiet, the cool night breeze that came with a storm cutting through and making it actually pleasant...

However the loud screech of Red's siren had the entire town waking up.

Across the street he spotted Sheriff coming out of the station, brief flicker of pain etched across his features. Doc gestured for him to move, the patrol car giving a nod and setting off at high speed towards the court house, Doc close on his bumper.

Red was huddled in the back of his garage, the massive building that had been the fire department since it was added onto the court house sixty years prior... Red hadn't even been in town back then... Red had come years later, happy and always friendly. He was still friendly... And usually happy, but that outgoing spark had died in one night.

Doc waved Sheriff back for a moment, and pulled forward. Red blared his horn at him, a sharp warning to keep back, the massive fire truck attempting to back further into the corner he had managed to squeeze himself into.

"Red? Come on out of there son." Doc offered softly, speaking as if to a frightened child... He had learned years ago that when frightened Red seemed to fall back to child like behavior... It went hand in hand with trauma at times...

"What happened?" Doc pressed on, but Red only whimpered. The massive fire truck twisting around until his face was pressed against the wall, entire frame shaking. At the soft sound of his sobbing Doc backed off, slowly backing up until he was side by side with Sheriff. "Go bring Flo here." He instructed, gaining a nod from Sheriff as he took off. Flo could always get through to Red. Her easy going and motherly personality was always set to gain Red's trust. It was only a few minutes before Sheriff came back, Flo hurrying behind him. She shoed, Doc and Sheriff away the show car hurrying into Red's garage her soothing voice barely heard inside.

A good half hour had passed before she came back out, quietly whispering to Doc that Red was asleep. Doc frowned but nodded, backing off and willing to leave the truck in peace.

"Did you find out what set him off?" Doc questioned as they quietly drove back towards the center of town. Most everyone had been chased back to their homes by Sheriff, but Sally and Lightning still remained at the café, quietly parked beneath the town's lone street light.

"Is he alright?" Sally was first to ask, pulling forward, her question gaining a slow nod from Doc.

"Think so... We've all had a rough night. Red's asleep so I would suggest we all do the same." Doc muttered, a slow nod of agreement coming from Flo. Slowly, the night fell back to silence as the town's citizens drifted back to their homes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Who are you?" Lightning questioned, stepping a bit closer to the car._

"_I am the one who will take you on to the next life. Though if you wish and it makes you feel more comfortable... You may refer to me as Seth."_

_Lightning watched the car for a moment and slowly backed up, seeming to realize several things at once. First off this vehicle was literally death... Second he was the one up on that lift that was dying... He also knew for a fact that it just wasn't his time to go. "No..." He muttered softly, quickly backing up. "No... that's not possible."_

"_I'm afraid it is young one. Only the good die young you know. Now if you will just come with me..."_

"_No" He stated again this time more firmly. "It's not my time. I have more to do."_

"_No son, I'm afraid there is nothing more you're going to do. Now if you will just come with me..."_

"_Where's Doc?" Lightning demanded backing up behind one of the many monitors. Seth sighed heavily and seemed to roll his eyes. "Probably out in the waiting room. He will grieve for a time but in the end he will move on with his life. Now I do have more clients today..."_

"_No. I want to see them." Lightning insisted, drawing another sigh from Seth. "Oh very well. I truly do detest it when one of these jobs turns into a round of this is your life. But if that's the way you want it... I suppose no one is actually in a hurry to die." He muttered, setting back on his wheels for a moment and fumbling a bit. After a moment something that looked like a portable phone was produced, a call placed through. _

"_Sandra... Hold my calls for the rest of the day and see if one of the underlings can do that nursing home job this evening. I've got a live one." He muttered into it, closing the phone and offering a disarming smile to Lightning._

"_So... You're death... And you're on a phone plan?" Lightning questioned, one eye giving a quirk._

_Seth laughed and shrugged. "What did you expect? Fire and brimstone? A light and a great tunnel? Mostly theatrics. We're on quite a budget these days. So, where shall we begin?" He mused and let a smile cross his grill. "Oh, yes." He silently moved over to where the doctor's where working, and studied Lightning's still body, a frown crossing his grill. "This you? I'm a bit surprised. But for the damage you look the same. Most people in this state are the ideal image of themselves. You know, fix the rear view mirror, tighten up the grill... You must be very confident."_

"_Is there a point to all this?" Lightning questioned, trying hard not to look at his own broken form._

"_The point is you're avoiding the point. Look at yourself. Can you possibly survive?"_

_Lightning himself... Simply didn't want to answer that..._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A sharp yelp snatched Doc awake for the second time that night. In the next room Lightning was restless. A soft whimper given every now and again suggesting a nightmare...

With a heavy sigh Doc quickly got up and hurried into the next room. Another reason he wasn't entirely prepared to let Lightning off on his own just yet. Since his accident the kid had been unpredictable. Almost skittish on the race track... And he knew for a fact the kid had been dreaming about his death. The part of his coma that his mind might had either forgotten or was repressing.

"Lightning wake up." Lightning twitched but otherwise didn't respond to deeply asleep to be brought out easily.

"Lightning!"

At Doc's yell Lightning snatched awake, glancing around the room wildly. "Seth?" He muttered quietly not entirely awake yet. Doc knew from experience that within' a few moments the name would elude him. He wouldn't be able to tell Doc what had frightened him so badly... Only that he had been afraid. In the beginning these little episodes had been bad.

Sheriff had once quietly warned him that they might get that way. He warned Doc that his waking mind would probably not remember what had happened. But in dreams he might. That was what he would have to watch out for because above all... Seth was scarier than hell when it came down to it...

"No kid... It's Doc." Lightning gave a brief shake of his grill unfocused gaze settling on Doc for a moment. "Doc?"

Doc chuckled and nodded, light nudge offered. "Yep. Nightmare?"

Lightning thought for a moment, frown crossing his grill. "Yeah... It's kinda fuzzy now." Doc nodded a bit, having fully expected that. "Get some sleep kid. Things will look a bit better in the morning." He advised, drawing another nod from Lightning. He seemed alright now. Always was.

Doc made his way back to his own room, brief sigh given. In the beginning it would get so bad that after an episode like that he wound up staying awake all night anyway. At least now the kid calmed down quickly.

He listened out for any further panic for about fifteen minutes before making one last attempt at some form of sleep before the morning light came...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The dawn broke as usual the past few days... Dark and overcast. "You know I'm starting to see a pattern here." Sheriff muttered as he quietly crossed the street to Flo's café. The town was a ghost town... Entirely void of life... At nearly ten o'clock in the morning that was strange to say the least... At the very least Luigi's shop never went unopened... And Flo would rather roll over and die than let a day go by that her café didn't open. She was to concerned that everyone in town got breakfast...

But now... It was quiet. After about fifteen minutes he spotted Doc coming out of his clinic. The older car stretched and yawned apparently not exactly bright eyed this morning.

"Morning Doc." Sheriff called out, slight frown crossing his grill. The older car only gave a soft grunt. The town was beginning to stir but slowly... People moved around as if zombies...

Within an hour everyone was gathered at the café, but it was abnormally silent...

"How's Red?" Sally asked after a time, drawing a sigh from Flo. "Still asleep. Poor dear had such a rough night."

"Any idea what brought it on?"

"Not a clue." She muttered, shooting Sarge a thoughtful gaze. The Jeep was just as silent as the fire truck had been. He quietly started at the ground seeming more than a little distant.

"Ya know I had a nightmare myself." Mater mused out of the blue. "Scared the bajeebers out of me... Was about the ghost lights. Bit of warm oil though 'll put ya right back to sleep."

"You had a nightmare to?" Sheriff questioned, that seeming to catch his interest.

"Yeah, I just told ya about it. Duh." Mater offered, a puzzled gaze given.

"Beside the point Mater. Anyone else?" He pressed on, a thoughtful look given.

"Yeah... I did." Flo offered, a frown crossing her grill. "So did Ramone. Night before to."

"So did I." Sally muttered, a frown given. "Dreamed about my grandpa's funeral... Haven't dreamed about him in years... Don't know why I started now."

"Doc?" Sheriff questioned, turning his attention to the old racer. Doc frowned and shrugged.

"Actually haven't gotten much sleep with everyone else's nightmares going on..." He mused.

"I woke up nervous over something... But I don't think I had a nightmare..." Fillmore mused to himself gaining a slow nod from those gathered.

"I have nightmare last night." Luigi commented from where he was parked at his booth. "Guido to I think. We both wake up on last nerve..."

"That's the connection..." Sheriff muttered, quietly glancing around those gathered. "Everyone has been having nightmares..."

"Right... And that tells us what, we need to lay off the late night horror movies?" Lightning offered, a frown given. "That's not exactly a connection Sheriff.

"It is when you look at it the right way boy. I'll bet a month's pay that our mysterious stranger has something to do with it..."

"Yeah right... What's he been doing sneaking into our dreams? I mean come on. He's creepy but he's just an old car." Lightning challenged, gaining a somewhat sour look from Sheriff.

Doc sighed and gave Lightning a good nudge, the bump just enough to hurt before attention was turned fully to Sheriff. "What's on your mind Sheriff?" He questioned, pulling a heavy sigh from the patrol car.

"Seth said he was looking for a demon... Demons have the ability to tap into the mind. Dreams are just a step above that. Most of that... Plane of existence come to this plane in dreams... It's either by chance or a lot of will power that they come to the physical plane." Sheriff slowly explained, silently setting back on his shocks.

Doc nodded slowly seeming to consider that. Everyone else simply stared at him as if he had grown another tire...

"Sheriff... What are you talking about?" Sally questioned.

"It's a long story Sally. One that I don't entirely want to go into right now. But the point is, that it is more than possible."

"So you're saying that you think Mr. Cain is the cause of the town's current... Depression." Doc summarized gaining another nod from Sheriff.

"I think he's exactly the reason."

"Bravo."

The clear voice caused them all to jump, snatching around to face off with the black Mustang, idly parked beneath the street light. Seth only smiled back, the air around him turning to ice in the cold that he brought...

To Be Continued


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. From there, I don't know. I'll make it up as I go along K?

Notes: Woot here we go again! Exams are finished but I'm off to the horse shows this week so once again, it might be a minute before another chapter is put up. Wish me luck! And now, a part we don't normally do. Questions and answers.

In the story Chance Encounters the name Boggs is mentioned as the name of a tractor. No I did not get that from Randal Boggs. I actually had to check with someone for the reference. Haven't actually seen that movie. We use to have a bull named Mr. Boggs when I was a kid. Though was never that mean. Sweet old thing!

The Lessons in Death's Lessons and Life's Lessons. Death's Lessons you had to read into a bit. It was mostly towards the Sheriff. If you have a gift, use it. It's not so bad. There was more but that was the most bold one. Life's Lessons I can't explain. It would give to much away. However if when the story is finished and you still don't get it, e-mail me. I'd be happy to explain my mental thinking XD Rock on!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm impressed Sheriff. Some damn fine law thinkin' ya got there partner." Seth offered, speaking in a highly accented and very fake southern draw.

"Screw you Seth. What are you up to?" Sheriff snapped, the occupants of Radiator Springs glancing back and forth between Sheriff and Seth as if watching a tennis match.

"Sheriff..." Sally finally ventured, backing up a bit to press against Lightning. "Who is that?"

"And why can they see you?" Sheriff snapped as if Sally's question reminded him that simply wasn't suppose to happen.

"One question at a time Sheriff. First off I'm not up to anything. I'm doing my job. Second I can allow myself to be seen by anyone I choose. It's in my power. But even if I didn't choose it, I might be seen anyway because of the vibes Cain is putting out. But as is, I don't have much of a choice." Seth snapped, idle shrug given.

"What happened to 'I can't get involved?'" Sheriff questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Eh, my boss had a change of heart."

"In other words somebody screwed up." Sheriff translated, drawing a soft snort from Seth.

"One of the higher offices. Apparently Cain wasn't suppose to get through in the first place. He's causing a lot more trouble than is permitted to a demon therefore I've been ordered to take him down by whatever means necessary."

"That still doesn't answer why you're here... You know, talking to us... Why you're showing yourself now..."

Seth rolled his eyes and gave a snort.

Sheriff smiled and settled back on his tires for a moment. "Oh, I get it... You can't handle it on your own. They've given you a job that you can't handle and your already on thin ice so you don't have a choice but to complete it."

Seth offered a somewhat sour look and sighed. "You wish Sheriff. I was only coming to warn you of the situation."

"Right... Convenient that you picked the exact moment it was figured out to pop up."

"Less convenience and better timing. After all I'm still practicing a light touch. Just now it's not quite as light..."

"Light? You call this light? What are you holding your breath while you stick your grill into our lives?" Sheriff challenged, drawing a smirk from Seth.

"Oh?" Seth challenged, soft chuckle given. "Well that's fine then. I can let you keep your little demon problem." He offered, snatching his grill towards the motel.

"That's quiet alright." Sheriff stated quickly, a shake of his grill given.

"Thought so." Seth muttered, slight smirk given.

"So exactly how are you going to get rid of him and for that matter just what is he?" Doc questioned, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"He's a demon. Or more precise what we like to call a Vantorkan Demon. Nasty creature that feeds off of fear. Basically what he does is invade your dreams and cause nightmares. From there he feeds off of the fear and chaos that is the result. As for what I'm going to do its very simple actually." Seth offered with a shrug. "Twenty minutes tops." He then added, attention turning to the shadows created by the surrounding buildings. "Boys! Sic um." He stated simply. The shadows pulled away the ground, moving as if living things. Within' moments the screeching mass had taken off.

"So... Exactly what are you anyway?" Sarge questioned once the shadows had pulled from their places and to their mission. The first real words he had said all day...

Seth seemed to think on that for a moment and smiled. "Do you remember, when you where a little vehicle... Maybe you where afraid of monsters in the closet... Well I'm the thing that the monsters have nightmares about." He explained, soft chuckle leaving him.

"Make's perfect sense..." Sarge muttered, apparently deciding he didn't want to know anymore...

"Do I know you?" Lightning suddenly asked, drawing Seth's attention.

"More than you know." The Mustang responded, his full attention drawn to where his shadows where searching. "Much more than you know, but that's not for me to explain."

Lightning offered a somewhat puzzled gaze, but otherwise didn't say a word.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The overcast sky stretched across the dessert, the cool morning air settling like a stale breeze. Cain frowned from his vantage point, quietly overlooking the tiny town of Radiator Springs. So the Mustang was in town eh? Could prove a problem... He had heard of him though never actually run into the vehicle before. Well if nothing else it could certainly prove somewhat interesting.

A sharp screech behind him, caused the old car to spin around, eyes narrowing at the shadows barring down on him. So that was the hunter's game?

Slight smirk crossed his grill as brief flicker of sunlight cut through the overcast sky. He closed his eyes and backed into the darkness of an overhanging bolder, a few words of old Latin muttered. The dark clouds that he had created briefly fell back. The shadows let out a collective screech, instantly falling back as if in pain. The resulting wave of energy and sudden shadow flooded back relatively quickly.

"You're going to have to do a bit better than that... Those tricks work on the mortals... Not on me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well that was just rude." Seth muttered, the Mustang forced to pull back a few paces into the shadows if he wished to remain out of the direct sunlight... Unlike his shadows he could stand the light... Though that didn't mean that he liked it. Especially the sun. The sun meant life... That was something he attempted to shy away from when he could.

"Twenty minutes eh?" Sheriff questioned, drawing a flat look from Seth.

"Brief setback." Seth shot back, brief flinch as his shadows where dissipated as if he felt the same strike...

After several minutes the cloud bank that had been hanging over the town for the past few days rolled back in, settling the town back into the dim light that was comfortable for those of the other side.

Seth frowned, carefully stepping out of the shadows, and whistled softly. A sound that would normally call his shadows to him but for now nothing. For all his tough attitude, he seemed genuinely concerned for the safety of the shadows.

"Why that..." He cut himself off with a growl, apparently now irritated. Now it was personal. Despite what Seth did and didn't do he was rather protective over his shadows.

"Temper Seth." Sheriff reminded him, gaining a sour look from the Mustang.

"Oh stuff it in your-"

"Seth!" Ebony's voice rang out loud and clear around them, drawing a soft grumble from Seth. "Language! After all try to be somewhat civil." She offered, appearing at his side.

"Didn't I tell you to stay out of this?" Seth demanded, drawing a puzzled gaze from those around.

"Well yeah, but I have a message. The boss wants to see you in his office. Stat." Ebony reported, Seth giving a deep growl in response.

"Who's the boss?" Sheriff questioned, causing Ebony to let out a snicker.

"Hey I use to love that show!" She declared, going off into a round of the theme song.

"Sheriff... Who are you talking to?" Doc muttered. Sheriff gave a sigh and rolled his eyes. Ebony apparently was remaining hidden from the others. Or perhaps she didn't have the ability to make herself visible to the others...

"The Viper." He whispered, drawing a slight nod from Doc. He didn't seem to understand just what the hell was going on, but it at least kept him from asking any more questions he didn't want to answer.

"What does he want anyway?" Seth pressed, drawing a brief shrug from Ebony.

"I don't know. They don't tell me everything. All I know is that he wants to see you in his office and he didn't sound happy." She explained a chipper given before she seemed to fade.

"Great..." He muttered, attention turning back to Sheriff. "Stay away from the demon, don't rile him and try to stay awake." He advised and just as quickly as he had shown up, he was gone.

With the absence of the Mustang and the Viper the café was once more cast to silence.

"Well then..." Flo muttered, breaking the silence after several minutes.

"That about covers it." Sheriff muttered, letting his engine fire to life and rolled away from the others. "I have work to do. If Seth shows up again tell him I said if I find him hanging around the next car in the ground will be him." He muttered, silently rolling down the street towards his normal post.

"Doc?" Sally's voice brought Doc to turn around, a heavy sigh given.

"Before you even ask, I have no idea and what little information I have is not in my place to discuss." Doc stated simply. With that he rolled away from the café, silently heading for his clinic.

"Can anyone tell me just what the hell is going on here?" Sally questioned, though all that could be offered was a round of shrugs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Never in my reign as councilmen have I seen this big of a screw up! Not even the black plague and that was a disaster!."

"Sir, I'll admit this was unfortunate but to be compared with the black plague is a little-"

"Shut it Seth."

Seth instantly shut his mouth, the Mustang setting back on his tires a bit. At his side Ebony offered an encouraging nudge, for all their disagreements the Viper choosing to stay with him through this.

"I asked you to be discreet."

"I was! But the Sheriff already knows anything we do, we can't hide from him. And I felt it would be better to move right in and feel out for what kind of damage that's already been caused. He's already gotten into the dreams of-"

"That's not our problem Seth!" The councilman yelled, the eyes of the BMW narrowing on Seth.

"But sir, if caught in time any insanity that's set in could be reversed and-"

"Again not our problem. That is beyond our control. Any permanent damage is unfortunate and will be regretted but it is not a cause for us to become that involved. Do you realize how much damage you've done in the past hour? All because you seem to be getting soft Seth."

"I am not!"

"Oh? There was a time when you would have said screw the living."

"Sir, isn't that why you brought me on board?" Ebony suddenly put in. "You said when you hired me that Death was getting to emotionally detached."

"A demon on the loose is an entirely different matter. You where brought on board to better understand those who have just passed. Death's job is to make sure the dead stay dead and the demons stay in hell. It's not to help the living in any way. You have no control over those people beyond when its their time to go and you need to figure that out. You do not work with the living." The BMW yelled, his voice cutting through the otherwise silent office.

"Well then who the hell are we working for? The dead? Forgive me sir but that's a rather morbid-" Ebony yelped as Seth gave her side a hard nudge with one tire.

"Of course we're working for the dead!" The BMW yelled, gaze narrowing on the two. "Now the both of you get back down there and send the damn demon back to hell. Apparently Seth can't handle it, so maybe the two of you can manage to not screw up."

"But sir-" Seth started, though was abruptly cut off by a somewhat irritable look from the BMW.

"Both of you out of my office!"

That met with a round of "Yes sir" both vehicles quickly scooting out of the office.

"You know there is a lot of this job that they flat out didn't feel the need to inform me of when I signed onto it." Ebony grumbled, tagging along behind Seth through the maze of halls.

"Yeah there's a lot they didn't tell me... A little tip Ebony, we're entirely tires off when it comes to the living. We let them live out their lives entirely by their own free will..."

"So why did they need someone who had once been alive?" She pointed out, drawing a shrug from Seth.

"To ease the transition from the living to the dead. You're job is to calm down those who have just died."

"Well then why did you show yourself to them?" She pointed out, quickening her pace until she drove beside Seth...

Seth fell quiet on that note, a slight frown crossing his grill. "I don't know... I guess I just wanted to torment the Sheriff a bit and prove to him that he doesn't know as much about the afterlive as he thinks he does..."

"Why do you even care?" Ebony challenged, smile crossing her grill. "Wanna know what I think?"

"I don't know and not really but I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway." Seth muttered with a heavy sigh, drawing a chuckle from Ebony.

"See? You already know me. Well I think it's because you've never been alive."

At that note Seth did stop, giving Ebony a somewhat puzzled gaze as she stopped a few feet ahead of him. "How do ya figure?"

"Well, you've never been alive... So you don't really understand the people you're guiding over. I think you want to know what makes them tick. I also think you're a little curious as to what life is like." Ebony stated matter-of-factly, smile crossing her grill.

Seth only rolled his eyes and moved off. "That is absolutely preposterous."

"Hey I told you, no use using big words I don't understand them." Ebony protested, following after a moment. "But I got to say Seth, I'm impressed. I would have thought demon hunting would have made you even worse. I think you're mellowing out."

Seth sighed, and gave a light shake of his grill. "I am not... Besides I was never as bad as you thought I was. It's a little different working with someone from running for your existence from them."

Ebony thought on that one and shrugged. "Probably right. Still though. I think you've changed." With that she charged on, humming quietly as she drove through the halls.

"Mortals..." Seth muttered, a shake of his grill given.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff quietly watched as a tumble weed rolled its way down the street. He chuckled a bit, the insane thought crossing his mind that he should pull it over for speeding. He had once pulled a tractor over for speeding in a fit of boredom. (A brief author's note that very rarely happens. Yes this happens! I have been pulled over for speeding on horse back. 35 in a 25 mph zone. I didn't think my horse could book it that quick. Boredom in the police ranks!)

There was a time that his days has been way to busy for only one car. The station had been filled with daily reports... There had even been enough deputies so that there where three on duty at all times, with twelve hour shifts to divide among them. Though when cars started leaving town, as police officers left to bigger and better things it just hadn't made any sense to replace them. Sheriff had briefly considered leaving at one point as well. Though then they had lost the old Sheriff. He abruptly decided to retire, leaving Mark in his place. Though he hadn't had much of a chance to enjoy his retirement. He had died of massive engine failure several days later.

Elections these days where not much of an election. No one bothered to go to the court house. Once a year Doc asked if anyone wanted to run for anything. The few people left in town would only shake their grills and go back to the day's tasks none of them to interested in anyone else ever holding an elected office. To them Doc was the mayor of the town as well as the judge and Sheriff was... Well the Sheriff. No one would ever argue that point. Sheriff almost hated to think about what would happen in a few years when he decided to retire.

"Well you look positively bored." The voice caught him off guard, Sheriff snatching around to face the Roadster parked behind him. Cain only smiled, brief stretch given.

"What are you doing here?" Sheriff growled, drawing a shrug from Cain.

"Can't a car stop and have a chat with someone who looks a little on the bored side?"

Sheriff only growled, narrowing his eyes at him. "I know who and what you are... I should arrest you right now."

"Under what charges? Sneaking into people's dreams Sheriff? Really, listen to yourself." Cain muttered, soft chuckle given.

"I know what you are to. Interesting I find more mediums in law enforcement... Why is that?"

Sheriff only narrowed his eyes, setting back a bit on his shocks. Of course he knew why... It was because their connection to the dead and the wish to help them... Law enforcement was a way to do that. Most mediums at least attempted to connect with law enforcement in some way or another. Either as law enforcement themselves or an advisor. However he wasn't exactly interested in where Cain was going with this.

"What will it take for you to leave town?" Sheriff questioned cutting to the point.

"Well Sheriff that's an interesting question. Honestly I like this town. So much promise..." Cain muttered, deep chuckle given.

"That's not what I asked." Sheriff pointed out.

Cain only laughed in response to that. "I know... You wanted to know what it would take for me to leave. The answer? I'll leave when I'm damn good and ready."

"Then why are you even talking to me?" Sheriff pointed out, drawing another chuckle from Cain.

He didn't get an answer. He was left alone in the silence once more as the sound of an engine cut through the air. Sally... She was coming up the road towards his normal post.

"Sheriff?" Her soft voice startled him even though he had seen her coming. She pulled to a stop beside him, a worried expression crossing her features. "You alright?"

"I'm fine Miss Sally." He offered, a smile crossing his grill.

Sally laughed and gave a shake of her own grill. He had called her that since the night he found her out here on 66. She had broken down a few miles up the road. She had started having problems on the interstate and pulled off hoping to find a town. She had driven to far, already having trouble and wound up breaking down entirely.

Since the first day she had woken up in Radiator Springs Sheriff had been like an overprotective parent where she was concerned. And from the moment he had learned her name he had picked up calling her Miss Sally. Or on days he wanted to tease her it was Mustang Sally, even though she wasn't exactly a Mustang.

"Sheriff we've been friends for a long time right?" Sally pressed, drawing an odd look from Sheriff.

"Of course Miss Sally." He already didn't like where this was going. She didn't do this often, but it had to be something big if it was important enough to pull the, "We're friends right?" card.

"And you would tell me if something was wrong, right?"

Oh it was worse than he was originally afraid of... "Yes..." Tread carefully from here on out.

"Sheriff I'm worried about you... What's wrong? I mean... Aside from the obvious." Sally questioned, throwing the final hit up to him.

Sheriff sighed and gave a slow shake of his grill. "Sally, you trust me right?" He questioned, slight tilt of his frame given.

"Of course."

"Well then keep trusting me Miss Sally. Everything will be alright."

Sally let a frown cross her pretty little grill. She hated it when he turned her own methods around on her. "Alright Sheriff... But you would tell me of there was something we really needed to know about right?"

Sheriff chuckled a bit, slight nod given. "Of course Miss Sally."

The two sat in comfortable silence for a few long minutes, watching the last of the sun's lighting fade through the overcast sky. Night was falling again... Which meant trouble for all involved.

"Gettin' late Miss Sally. I would suggest we turn in."

Sally sighed heavily, a nod her only response as the two headed back for town.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The darkness was oppressing... They all had to sleep at some point. And with what they all now knew, none of them where to intent on looking forward to it... Where the hell Seth had gotten off to they didn't know, but they had much bigger problems to deal with.

Cain had come back into town. At Sheriff's advise no one said a word of knowing who or what he was but they all had the feeling he already knew. He only offered them a chipper smile before pulling into his room at the cozy cone.

It was well into the evening before those gathered at the café, began dispersing to their own homes. Whatever was going to happen... It didn't seem it was going to happen tonight...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three a.m. The true witching hour. True fear came in multiples of three. Midnight was one... Three in the morning was the most powerful. That was when the darkness seemed to seep right into the soul... It was at that point Cain idly rolled through town, carefully choosing his next full victim.

He was finished playing with petty fears. Nightmares where no longer enough for him it seemed... He was ready to step into phase two.

He took a place in the center of town, eyes closing and reached his thoughts out. The damn medium had put up one hell of a mental defense. Though he couldn't protect everyone. It made it a little more tricky but he could manage. The most unprotected one was Red... The fire truck that had been such a success a few nights prior. He smiled, and reached his thoughts out, for a moment directly brushing the truck and instilling a good amount of fear... He was preparing to lock directly into his memories when something hit him from behind, the Roadster giving a startled grunt and nearly taking out a gas pump at the café.

He spun around, fully expecting to see the Sheriff behind him. Though the face he saw, brought a smile to his grill. "Why Seth. Getting a little physical aren't we?"

Seth didn't deem that worthy of an answer. The Mustang charged again his shadows once more whole by the darkness. Not far behind him the Viper charged, seeming to be more than happy to keep out of the fray if she could help it... But she was making her presence known all the same.

Cain ducked to the side and spun around, setting off down the street at full speed, the thunder like rumbling of a demonic engine the only sound that cut through the air other than the shriek of tires.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_1954_

_Burnt rubber... He could smell if everywhere. Fire to... Not from him, but it was there. Not even ten feet from him the car that crashed into him lay upside down... The fire had been brief... But horribly destructive and fatal. The other car had never even woken up. He had probably been dead when he hit the ground. That had been one hell of a hit. Hudson wasn't entirely sure how even he had managed to survive it._

_Insane thoughts now he supposed. He just might nod. The pain was intense... His vision was horribly blurred, the images of the fire having been a brilliant light that he could barely make out. In retrospect he supposed the other car wouldn't have been this bad off if he hadn't blown up first... He had managed to come three feet out of the pits and blew up, the brilliant shower of light sending him up into a fire ball, that managed to slam into Hudson on its landing back on Earth..._

_He groaned and slipped back to darkness. The sound of another crash echoing through his thoughts..._

XXXXXXXXXXX

Doc snatched awake as a loud crash echoed through the streets. The nightmare gave way to the safety of his clinic... But the crash had been real... He was sure of it... He frowned, quickly jumping to his tires and heading out the front door of his clinic. Directly in the middle of town, the lone fire hydrant in front of Flo's café was spewing water like a fountain...

"What the..." He couldn't see the cause of the accident. The streets where empty.

"Wow..." Lightning's voice right behind him startled him from his thoughts, the race car pulling up at his side. "What happened there?"

"I don't know..." Doc muttered, pulling out into the night. Across the street Sheriff was already hurrying out of the police station to see what was up. Behind the café, Flo's attention had been caught, a very sleepy Ramone pulling out right behind her. The sound of the crash was bringing out most of the town's occupants to see what the hell had happened.

From the distance the sound of a demonic engine cut through the night, headlights piercing the darkness. Cain once more tore through town, chased by silence... The Mustang was hot on his tail, shadows flowing after him like ripples in a pond. Those who where doing the chasing remained hidden from those who did not care to see them... To most of the people of Radiator Springs Cain simply looked as if he had lost his mind.

Behind Seth, Ebony tagged along, barely pushing third gear as she drove, more than willing to not step in unless she had to.

"What the hell?" Doc questioned, shooting Sheriff a curious gaze.

"Ain't something mortals where ever meant to see." Sheriff muttered, for a moment considering going back into the station and leaving Seth to his little car chase.

The water was creating a slick surface on top of the asphalt that was as slick as any black ice that had ever been created. The Roadster slid briefly, an unseen Seth almost sliding right into him though the two pulled it together relatively quickly. Through the darkness a yelp let out, Ebony's form sliding across the wet pavement and out of the fray. Hadn't been paying attention apparently.

"Anything we can do?" Doc questioned softly, pulling a shake of Sheriff's grill.

"No... Mortals aren't meant to see this... Best thing you can do is-" He never got that out...

Cain ripped to the side, a sudden shower of sparks raining down across the street as he ran grill first into a supporting beam of Flo's café, pulling an indignant yell of complaint from Flo. The neon lights shattered on one side the resulting shower, catching the power lines in a brief show of light and color. The Roadster recovered quickly taking off again, Seth sliding through the light of the sparks before the shriek of his tires gave way and he found traction again.

The Roadster was moving out of town again it seemed. He tore through the town's streets at top speed, nearly slamming into several buildings though somehow managed to keep his tires on the road.

Once more they came ripping through town, Seth's form a bit overshadows through Cain. To those not a medium he could now be seen as a shadow himself... The Roadster flew back through Flo's café, taking out another support beam. This time one of the tubes for the lights fell, a shower of sparks once more lighting the town in a wild show of color and light. That was the only show of light though as every light in Radiator Springs abruptly went out, the town cast into darkness.

The power lines fell, in some places touching the water and in some places falling across the steel of the fallen support beam. Seth was forced to stop, stepped between the support beams and fallen glass, a sharp growl given from his forced semi solid state.

Another shower of sparks and light fell across his ebony hide as another line came loose, the weight of the glass across it bringing it down. It fell across his hood, the sudden array of light dancing across his field of vision almost blinding. Tracks of electrical shock leapt across support beams and spider webbed over the water pooling on the road.

The occupants of Radiator Springs jumped back into the safety of Luigi's store though Seth couldn't seem to pull away from the shock. For the first time in his existence pain ripped through his form. Something he had never felt before... And wasn't in a hurry to feel again... The sparks leapt across his hood, going through his forever silent transmission and starter, the sparks leaping to the dead engine.

The light show finally stopped... The loud explosion of sparks and a demonic engine dulled to a stop as the light show faded and Cain fled the scene. But somewhere in the darkness the sparks touched a dead engine... Somewhere in the darkness for the first time in his existence Seth's engine roared to life.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. Can anyone catch the reference to my all time favorite show? All will be explained in due time. I would love to let you try and hunt it down and offer cookies but for the purpose of a disclaimer I can't. Karr is not mine. I wish he was, for he is the most awesome of cars... But he is not. He belongs to Glen A. Larson. So does Wilton Knight and Devon Miles, even though I cararized them. (My word!) But Stone Knight is mine! Yes he gets around!

Notes: First place baby! I love horse shows! Though I am sorry that it managed to keep me from posting a new chapter for so long. This was a difficult chapter to get out and with so much happening all at once it caught up to me fast. But I'm so glad that people want to hear more! The reviews made me get off my butt even being sick this week to write! Rock on y'all!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darkness once more overtook the night as the last bit of light of the sudden shower of sparks faded. The only light available came from the occasional electrical current from one of the downed wires. The engine that had cut through the night air hummed softly for a moment or two. It then died just as quickly as it had faded, slowly fading out as if the owner of the engine had simply let it idle and die.

"Seth? You alright boy?" Sheriff called out into the night, feeling that somehow he had to say something... Anything at this point.

"Is he..." Flo's voice faded off in the darkness, Sheriff giving a quick shake of his grill.

"Seth is Death... It's not like anything can really happen to him..." Light suddenly flooded the area, causing those gathered to jump, back a bit. Red had come out of his garage, the light of his emergency spotlight flooding the city streets. Seth hadn't moved. It looked as if he had driven into one of the beams holding up the roof of the café. The lines had gone dead or at least where not sparking anymore but where still a threat as they lay haphazardly across Seth's hood.

"Keep those lights on Red!" Sheriff called, and gave Lightning a light nudge. "Head up the street to the fuse box outside the police station. Shut off the emergency power box and it should cut the electricity to this side of town. And watch those downed lines."

Lightning gave a quick nod, hopping out of the doorway they had huddled into, the race car tearing down the street by the light of Red's spotlight, hopping every now and again to avoid a downed wire.

Within' moments the street was once more flooded as the emergency lights over the main power outlets cut on, the lights suppose to be a back up in case of storms and other possible disasters. But for now they would have to make do.

The lines fell still, now that the power was off, Sheriff having no issue with driving over them to get to Seth. The Mustang remained still and eerily lifeless.

"Seth!" Sheriff called to him firmly once he had driven to a close range, frame tilting a bit as he looked for any signs that the Mustang was awake. Nothing...

"Doc?" Sheriff called, pushing the town doctor into motion.

"I don't know much about the undead, but I'm fairly certain that this isn't normal."

Doc nodded a bit, quietly looking the Mustang over. He frowned a bit, as Sheriff had once described fully expecting to find what he would label as a dead vehicle... Though the car before him seemed to be a living and thriving Mustang...

The Mustang set back, a sharp gasp of air taken in, pulling his first breath of air in through filters. Both Sheriff and Doc jumped back as if the power lines where still alive, neither one of them to keen on being a part of whatever the hell had just happened.

"Alright... I'm not entirely sure what's happening. But first lets get him into the clinic and get the streets clear" Doc ordered, drawing a nod from Sheriff.

Mater moved into motion, quickly pulling up near Seth and hooking him with his tow cable, the tow truck pulling the wounded Mustang towards the clinic as Sheriff quickly worked to get the power lines clear of the street.

Cain was no where in sight. It seemed at least for the moment he had gotten away...

XXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell is going on here!" Ebony flinched away from the bellowed yells of the councilmen silently pulling back away from the panel.

"Sir I don't know. Seth was right in front of me and there was a flash and now I'm here and I can't contact Seth and I was chasing Cain and I couldn't find Seth then and... I don't know what happened!" Ebony insisted, the Viper pacing back and forth along the floor.

"Alright, somebody check the system and make sure we aren't experiencing another crash! Get that Gaits guy up here if you have to. He's about do for another near death experience anyway..."

"Systems are fine sir" A light pick up truck called out from his station, drawing a growl from the BMW.

"Alright... Then what in the name of our creator happening?"

"He's not in the system." The truck called out again, gaining a sour look from the BMW.

"I thought you said the system was fine..."

"It is... He's been taken out of the system of immortals and listed into the living world."

Ebony gave a soft yelp of surprised, backing out of the main hall to let the council deal with this one. She thought she already might have the answer...

"That's not possible... It has to be a system flaw. Gabriel!"

"Sir?" The white sports car that responded, quickly moved forward, the BMW's wrath turned abruptly to him.

"Where is Gaits?"

"I think he's in him home sir..."

"Good. Set up a short circuit or something and shock the hell out of him. Call it a near death experience and get him up here." He snapped, drawing a nod from the sports car and sending him quickly on his way.

"I told ya we should have gone with a Mac." The truck called from his station, a hard glare the only response he got.

"I wanna know why this has happened people! Despite his drawbacks Seth is one of our best agents and was never meant to be mortal as the computer now says he is! This isn't possible! Not fix it!" He bellowed, sending the collective group into a flurry of motion.

"And where the hell is Ebony?" No one had an answer for that. The Viper had disappeared.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, so what's the verdict Doc?" Sheriff questioned as Doc sighed and lowered Seth back down.

He had the Mustang up on the lift in his clinic. Thus far Seth had been entirely silent and out cold.

"I don't know what to tell you Sheriff. He's received quite a shock. There are indications of burning on his engine and fuel systems from the charge... His electrical system is short circuiting causing minor glitches here and there in head lights, windshield wipers... That sort of thing... Generally this is the symptoms of any victim of extreme electrical charge that's lucky enough to survive the shock."

"There's just one problem in that theory Doc... He wasn't alive to begin with."

Doc frowned as Seth's tires touched the floor of his clinic and silently nodded. "I know... That would be a problem..."

"So now what?" Sheriff questioned, drawing a shrug from Doc.

"Well... The theory of shocking him again and seeing what happens aside... I guess we just wait and see. Any news from your other friend?"

"Ebony? No... Which is strange in itself. It's like the entire supernatural world is at a hush..."

"That's a little disturbing..." Doc muttered and let out a soft sigh. "Alright, come on Sheriff let's go fuel up at Flo's... No sense in hanging around here all morning."

Sheriff nodded and silently followed Doc out into the early morning light. Normally the town would be a ghost town this time in the morning... But several hours after the events of the early morning hours the town was at least some sluggish form of active. At nearly six in the morn the sun had just barely begun climbing to give at least a little bit of light.

Flo was already moving around the café, quietly attempting to clean up the mess caused by the two vehicles. There was lines down that had to be cleared though it was Red taking care of that, carefully checking the charge of each line before moving it out of the way. They would have to call in an electrical team from the next down over to fix that... Was going to get pricy but they didn't have a choice.

The two pulled into a booth that didn't have debris everywhere, Flo quickly bringing them their breakfast. "So how's the sickly?" She questioned, drawing a chuckle from Doc.

"Honestly Flo, this one is out of my field."

"Hell it's even out of my field." Sheriff commented, silently settling down with a can of oil.

"We're just gonna have to wait until he wakes up and see what happens." Doc explained, a heavy sigh let out.

Flo gave a puzzled look and nodded slowly, a soft sigh given. "Is he gonna want some fuel when he wakes up?"

Sheriff and Doc exchanged a glance for a moment, a frown crossing their grills. They didn't even know that...

"_Sheriff"_ Sheriff jumped a bit from where he was parked, beside Doc, the old race car giving his officer friend a puzzled look. The cold chill that shot through his mind and down his body with that simple word almost put him on the ground. A sick feeling in the pit of his fuel tank, lurching and threatening to cause him to purge his systems, the world swaying and tilting.

Sheriff knew that voice. He couldn't see where it had come from but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Though no spirit had ever connected so directly to him before. Not an easy feeling to get use to. Ebony... This day just kept getting better and better.

"Sheriff are you alright?" Doc questioned, gaining a nod from the patrol car.

"I'm alright... Just hearing voices."

That brought a somewhat puzzled look from Doc, the car edging away a little. "Ok... Good luck with that..."

Sheriff rolled his eyes, a flat look shot in his friend's direction. "Ebony's voice." He commented, turning his attention back to the soft voice flickering across his mind.

"Right... Like I hear dead people is any better." Doc pointed out with a chuckle, though seemed to relax with the information that his friend at least wasn't entirely losing it.

"Oh hush so I can listen." He snapped, his full attention turning to the voice in his mind.

"How are you doing this?" He questioned the air, drawing a chuckle from Ebony.

"_My little secret. I'm not really on the physical plane. Useful when I have to be in two places at once. But that's not the point. Do you know where Seth is?"_

"Yes... He's in Doc's clinic. Though we could use a bit of help with that. None of us have a clue what's going on anymore and-"

"_Ok that's a problem... Neither do we. The council is going nuts. He's disappeared from the realm of immortals..."_

Sheriff frowned, thinking on that for a moment. "Ebony last night we heard his engine start. Now he's in a physical form and he seems to be staying that way. He hasn't woken up yet..."

Ebony was silent for a long time, giving Sheriff a bit of relief from the cold feeling her voice sent through him.

"_I can feel his powers..."_ Ebony muttered after a time, the cold chill returning giving that feeling of about to faint. _"It's like suddenly his shadows are looking to me for direction. I really don't like the way this is going Sheriff..."_ She admitted, confiding her fears of her job to Sheriff as she normally would to Seth.

Despite their rocky relationship to start the two had grown simply use to working with each other. Seth enjoyed his new position and Ebony was rather fond of hers. They formed a working relationship that simply functioned and neither was willing to change it. Ebony didn't want Seth's job.

"Well maybe something can be done. Get here as fast as you-"

He was cut off, nearly jumping out of his paint as a cold feeling brushed against his side, the patrol car shying away from it and nearly winding up on top of Doc as Ebony appeared at his side.

"Sorry Sheriff." She offered, brief smile crossing her grill.

"S'alright... So do you have any clue what's happening?"

Ebony shook her grill, shooting a smile in Doc's direction, the old race car only nodding a brief greeting. Other than the two of them everyone else moved past her as if she wasn't there. To them she probably wasn't.

"No. I need to see him."

Doc and Sheriff nodded, the two moving out towards the Clinic. Ebony followed quickly, tagging along behind as she had tagged along behind Seth so many days.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Four days. That was how long he had been on the road. It wasn't exactly a pleasant trip either. Chick Hicks stared out of the window of his trailer, silently listening to his driver, Pete's singing. Anyone else would have complained at the truck's voice, though Chick was use to it. He also had to admit it wasn't so bad on the road. In front of people the truck was nervous and off key but while moving down the highway, those times he thought Chick was asleep in the back he sounded better than any country singer Chick had ever heard.

If the truck could get past his stage fright he could have been one hell of a country star. Though as it was, here they where rolling down the highway.

As usual it had been a race that pulled them away from the safety of California. An old friend from his home town had called one morning with the plea for him to come back home and enter a local race. He wouldn't have done it... But after the disaster last season that had knocked him out of the running the last few races he was eager to get back on the track. It had been simple. They needed a hot shot racer to draw people to the track. A dirt track with up and coming locals that wanted to show their stuff.

Chick had easily one though he did note a few possible prospects for the expansion of the business. His sponsor had been looking to expand a bit. With Chick getting up in years they had asked him to start looking for something akin to an apprentice.

A nice way of saying start looking for your replacement. He would have been irritated about it, but the aches and pains he was starting to suffer in the morning and on cold days couldn't go unnoticed. He was in his mid forties and if he quite racing tomorrow he wouldn't have to work another day in his life. It wasn't as if he needed it. His time was coming up fast.

Either way the race had been decent exposer showing the 'nice guy' side of Chick that went to charity events and raced for the kiddies... The race car who encouraged the coming rookies and signed autographs fire the kids that swarmed him after the track, excited that someone from their home town had made it so big. It also gave him a chance to look at up and coming talent. Though right about now he was regretting the entire trip.

It had started in Mississippi. Pete began having engine problems. The hacking cough and brief cloud of thick black smoke had led to Chick ordering the truck off the road. However the truck was stubborn. He hated doctors almost as much as Chick did. That had led the truck to refuse to stop at all until he absolutely had to. Even then he refused a doctor visit. He pressed on. Now in the middle of Nevada the problems he had been having seemed to have eased back.

However Chick noticed that they where currently in the slow lane with everyone and their brother passing them with sour looks shot at the slow moving rig. Normally he would have complained, wanting to get out of the trailer as fast as possible... But now he remained silent, figuring they would either get home or Pete's stubborn streak would have to break. Hopefully his stubborn streak would break before they wound up breaking down...

He heaved a heavy sigh, silently closing his eyes as he listened to his driver's slow southern voice over the wind of the outside world. He was just about to doze off when a loud bang shook him from his thoughts, a sharp yelp followed. He opened his eyes to a view of thick black smoke pouring past his window and what little he could see of the outside world slowing down considerably as Pete pulled off at the first exit he came to and onto a back country road.

"Pete you alright?" Chick questioned quickly, gaining a pained grunt from the truck. "Yeah... Just pulling off at this town... Old Pete needs a rest."

"Old Pete needs a doctor. You're in pain, the first town we come to we're stopping." Chick snapped.

"Can't afford the time boss." Pete tried, but Chick only rolled his eyes.

"Don't give me that Pete. I've got no where to be and I know you don't either. It's the off season. You're seeing a doctor." He stated flatly.

Pete only grunted. It could have been Pete's irritation and sick sense of humor to the stopping place. But when next Chick glanced out the window, a sign reading 'Welcome to Radiator Springs' passed him by.

"Great..."

His only explanation to this was that he must have really pissed someone off in a past life.

"What sick sense of humor does our deity have to have such a twisted sense of irony?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ebony wouldn't go near him. She remained on the edges of the clinic, shying away as if Seth's sleeping form might bite her.

"Ebony what's wrong?" Sheriff prodded, the Viper only able to offer a sad look.

"He's alive... I can feel the life in him... It's everywhere..."

"Are you sure?" Sheriff questioned, gaining a flat look from Ebony.

"I think I know the difference between an immortal and a mortal Sheriff. He's very much alive. I don't know how this could have happened. He was never meant to live..."

"Wasn't he alive at some point?" Sheriff questioned, though that drew a shake of Ebony's grill.

"Never... Actually I'm the first angel of death to ever have been born. Most simply... are..."

"There's more than one?" Doc suddenly questioned, drawing a shake of Ebony's grill.

"Well right now there's two... Then there's the first... But the job changes up every century or so..."

"How do you mean changes? And who's the first?" Doc questioned, though the Viper gave a firm shake of her grill.

"I've already told you to much. Mortals aren't suppose to know this much."

That earned her a slight glare from Doc, apparently not about to take that. "Don't give me that little miss. I think at this point we need to know just what's going on."

Ebony glared at him, the Viper backing up a bit. "I can poof out of here ya know."

"But you won't." Sheriff commented, turning his attention back to Seth. "Any idea why he's not waking up?"

"Well I would imagine his body is attempting to adjust... This is all just a theory mind you... I really have no idea why he's not awake. But it's a good theory wouldn't you agree?"

Sheriff's only response was a quiet glare. Ebony shrugged a bit and sighed, quietly backing off. "Alright... I'll be back. I'm gonna go speak to the boss about this and I'll see what I can do from there." She offered, gone just as quickly as she had come.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pete let out a painful groan as he finally rattled to a stop in front of Flo's café thick black smoke billowing out from under his hood. He was starting to regret not pulling over in Mississippi when the problem first started. Where he had been only a little uncomfortable now he felt like hell...

There was a soft hiss that he recognized as the back of his trailer opening, the sound of Chick's engine coming back around.

"You alright Pete?"

"Peachy" He quipped to his boss, drawing a sigh from the stock car.

"I'm not gonna even bother with an I told ya so. I'll see if I can find the town doctor."

Pete's only response was a nod. Back in Mississippi he had only been a little uncomfortable. Now he felt like hell..

Chick disappeared, from his side, the stock car rolling up to the local clinic and giving a good bang on the door.

Chick quietly waited, very little patients to be had as he glanced back down the street to where his driver was parked. Pete had turned into somewhat of family over the years.Max had introduced him to the old truck when he first started this. He had never had another driver. Probably never would.

It took a few moments but the door opened, a very stunned Doc parked in the doorway to the clinic.

"Chick Hicks?" He questioned, suspicion lacing his voice.

"Yup. No time for insults or pleasantness." Chick stated, getting right to the point. "Can you work on rigs?"

Doc blinked but nodded, rather familiar with the anatomy of an eighteen wheeler.

"Good. Something is wrong with my driver. You mind taking a look at him?" Chick questioned, getting right to the point. Doc cast a gaze down the street to the sick truck, studying him from afar. The truck hadn't even bothered to detatch himself from his trailer upon stopping. Not something that most rigs did. At least Mack didn't. Unless he was only pulling over to sleep as soon as he stopped he had dropped the trailer and was moving around. Pete was parked in the street, looking positively miserable as he quietly stared straight ahead. He looked to be concentrating very hard on not being sick as a matter of fact...

"Tell him to pull around behind the clinic." Doc stated quickly, wasting no time on this. "You can wait for him at the café if you like." He stated simply, hurrying back into his office to set up.

Chick only nodded, returning to his driver and nudged the truck into motion. Pete didn't argue the point. He let his trailer drop and quietly moved where instructed, not a word spoken seeming to be quite happy to let someone else guide him where he needed to go. The truck disappeared behind the clinic for the time at least leaving Chick to his own devices around town. The green stock car pulled up at Flo's café, gaining a somewhat suspicious look from Flo, who served him without a word.

It was a little over an hour before Chick so much as saw another living soul, that soul being in the form of Sheriff who rolled out of Doc's clinic and headed back towards his office at the station. Chick sighed heavily, worry touching his mind as he let his thoughts drift.

It had been a long drive... And despite better judgement in the midday sun he quietly dozed off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Atlanta, GA 1976_

_Three weeks... He had only been on his own for three weeks and already he was in trouble. That was the only thought that crossed his mind as sat parked in a police station, a boot firmly attached to one front tire. _

"_What's your name kid?" The rough voice belonged to an older patrol car, the vehicle staring him down as if the simple alpha glare would force Chick to tell him anything he wanted. It worked..._

"_Chick Hicks..." He muttered, quietly dropping any thoughts of giving them a false name that probably wouldn't match up to anything on their records. _

"_How old are you boy?"_

"_Sixteen." Chick stated quietly, drawing a nod from the officer._

"_Know why you're here?" The officer questioned, eyes narrowing on the young car in front of him._

"_I have my guesses..." Chick ventured, gaining a harsh look from the officer. He swallowed hard and pressed on, dropping any thoughts of sarcasm right there. Of course he knew. He had been the one to do it after all. He was desperate... Running low on fuel and oil he had been forced to resort to taking what he needed from a local truck stop. Of course the police had caught up to him before the next exit... Chick was in desperate need of a tune up and had been easily outrun... Now here he sat. Not exactly the high point of his life._

_More questions flew at him... They where trying to scare him. He knew that... He didn't have a record and they where probably going to call his father and let him go. Not that them calling his father was any better... Still though, it wasn't jail... They where trying to scare him... It was working..._

_It was nearly two hours later before the two patrol cars left him, cold steel bars sliding closed on him with a loud clang._

_They had put him in a cell... In the cell beside him sat a truck about his age, steel gray in color. "Whatcha in for kid?"_

_Chick jumped. He had noticed his neighbor, but he had failed to so much as take note of his cell mate._

"_I..." Chick couldn't find it in himself to respond, as he backed away from the vehicle. It was also a truck. Big son of a gun to... _

"_What's the matter? Moped got yer tongue?"_

_Chick still didn't answer, the stock car backing up a bit. _

"_Scared kid? What yer momma?" The truck hissed, a grin crossing his grill._

"_Leave him be." The voice was low, coming from next door._

"_Oh, come off it Stone just having a bit of fun."_

"_Not at the kid's expense. Now leave him be, Bear."_

_The truck, or Bear as he apparently was growled and backed off back to his 'bed' on the other side of the cell. Chick gave a soft sigh and turned his attention back to the truck in the neighboring cell._

"_Thanks..." He offered slowly, gaining a slow smile from the truck._

"_Don't worry about him. He likes to scare people. Put himself at the top of the food chain as the alpha male. Just hold your ground and don't let him intimidate you and you'll be fine. There are two types of people in this world. Predator and prey. Predator box themselves off and look you in the eye. Prey slouches and looks at the ground. Assert yourself as a force to be reckoned with and no one will mess with you to begin with."_

_Chick nodded slowly, a slight tilt of his frame given. "Who are you?"_

_The truck chuckled and set back briefly on his tires. "Name's Stone... So what are you in for Buckshot?"_

_Chick smiled and offered a quiet chuckle. Buckshot? "Long story... And my name is Chick. Chick Hicks."_

"_Chick Hicks eh? Any relation to Ralph Hicks the racer?" Stone questioned, smirk given._

_Chick looked surprised, and nodded. "My father."_

_It was Stone's turn to look surprised. He hadn't really thought there was a relation. He had just been making conversation. "Wow, small world. Well Buckshot I'm fairly good at this... So let me see if I can guess." He mused, looking the troubled teen over._

"_You've run away." He stated, gaining a slight grunt from Chick as he nodded._

"_You where desperate... Got on the bad side of the law... Maybe you stole some fuel. Maybe even some oil. Cops caught ya... Now their trying to scare the hell out of ya by putting you in this here cell. Little do they know, you would rather be in this cell because you know their going to call your father."_

_Chick's eyes widened, looking shocked at the very accurate and short version of his story... "How?"_

_Stone smiled and shrugged. "I was being booked into this place at the same time you where. I was actually in the next room getting my own rally of questions. My hearing is very sharp and I wasn't exactly listening to them. Also heard them talking so I know their calling your father. As for your reaction to this information, lets just say I know Ralph Hicks... That was a guess but I know the way it goes. I've been there."_

_Chick nodded slowly in response, shock still etched across his features but it was fading slowly... Though that didn't make much sense._

"_If you where just booked, how do you know..." He faded off, gesturing towards Bear who seemed to be dozing._

"_Oh, I brought him in. I'm law enforcement of a different kind. Me and Bear go way back. We don't exactly see eye to eye either but we do have some form of a respect for each other."_

_Chick smiled quietly and nodded. Made perfect sense..._

_Stone smirked and seemed about to say something when the doors at the end of the hall slammed open. Two patrol cars moved down the row of cells followed by a dignified looking BMW. The deep blue car stopped in front of Stone's cell and narrowed his eyes at the massive truck._

"_Heya boss." Stone chirped, gaining a glare from the luxury car._

"_I am disappointed in the both of you."_

_Both of them? That gained, Chick's attention. For the first time he noticed that Stone had a cell mate. From the darker part of the cell a sleek black sports car pulled forward. A black Trans-am, with eyes a deep gold... Around the baseboards of the vehicle was colored silver, though the strange part of him was the odd light on the front of his prow... An amber light tracked back and forth directly between his headlights._

"_Hey, we wrapped up the case Dev... What are you complaining about?"_

"_Wrapped up the case and yet here I am, bailing you both out of jail. Wilton is having hissy fits... Now both of you come out of there, this moment."_

_The officer unlocked the cell, letting the two vehicles out. The Trans-am growled softly and silently moved down the hall, followed closely by his boss, the vehicle raddling on, obviously expecting the two vehicles to be listening to every word. Stone paused at Chick's cell, a smile offered._

"_Things have a strange way of looking up occasionally. What I told ya? About asserting yourself? Doesn't just fall into place with Bear. It works as long as you want to use it..." He explained and gave a somewhat sympathetic smile. "Don't let life bite ya in the fender, and don't resort to this to get by..." Chick nodded slowly, a bit surprised when the truck slipped him a simple card._

"_If ya ever get in over yer hood Buckshot... The people I work for can help. Call me if ya need me alright?" He offered, the truck then quickly following his boss, insisting that winding up in jail wasn't his fault._

_Chick glanced at the card, slight tilt of his frame given. Knight Industries... What kind of place was that? He sighed and gave a shrug, pulling back to park to one side of the cell, away from the sleeping Bear. It was going to be a long night..._

_Unfortunately it only got longer. It was only a few hours of peace he gained before being woken up once more. When next he woke it was the face of Ralph Hicks he was looking into, the same arresting police officers that had brought him in parked not to far behind him._

"_Get up." Was the simple whispered order. There was only one problem with Stone's advise... Chick couldn't bring himself to use it. In a second he had gone from a free car with his own problems... To the prey of his father..._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chick snatched awake with a yelp, the burning image and fear his father managed to instill, fresh in his mind. Slowly though the image was replaced with one he also didn't want to see... Though welcomed it if it meant no more Ralph. Lightning sat in front of Chick, one eye ridge raised in question.

"Dude... One word that will change your life... DeCafe..."

"What do you want?" Chick demanded once he had pulled himself together a bit.

"Doc sent me to get you." Lightning stated simply, that somewhat puzzled look still etched across his features. "Says he knows what's wrong with your driver."

Chick nodded and quickly got up, leaving the red stock car behind to find Doc. He didn't have far to go. Doc met him at the front of the clinic.

"Fuel poisoning." He stated simply, drawing a surprised look from Chick. "Probably got into some bad fuel. Very common for rigs. I need to filter the fuel out of him, but he'll be fine in a day or two. A little rest and he'll be right as rain. For now he's resting quietly."

Chick nodded slowly to that, a brief smile of relief given. Doc caught it, though didn't comment, further nod given. "If you like I can find you transportation, or you can check into the motel."

"I'll check in." Chick stated simply. He had no where to be and he didn't want to leave Pete, though he would never admit that to Doc. "Do you have a phone? I need to call my crew chief."

"In my office."

Chick only nodded, silently moving past Doc and into his office. He caught a brief glimpse of another patient though didn't pay him any mind, the car always one for a car's privacy while ill. Personally he didn't want to so much as see anyone when something was wrong with him...

He moved into Doc's office, slight chuckle given as he glanced around. Mostly newspaper clippings decorated the walls, most framed, some tagged up there with a pin... A few pictures of the town and the townsfolk... Somehow it fit a small town doctor.

It took him a moment but under a stack of papers he did manage to find the phone. He dialed the phone in silence, waiting patiently until Max picked up on the third ring.

"Lo'?"

"You asleep Max?" Chick questioned, a bit surprised. Wasn't like Max to sleep during the day.

"Do I sound asleep?"

"Sounds like you where..."

"Well not anymore... Long night. Damn neighbor has a new pet. Thing howled all night long."

Chick stifled off a laugh, figuring he would probably be shot for it later if he kept it up. "Sorry about that Max. Just keep your patients and it will go away." He advised, gaining a grunt from Max.

"You home yet?" Max questioned, silently reminding Chick why he had called to begin with.

"Nope... I won't be for a few more days. Pete's gotten into some bad fuel. He's gonna be laid up a day or two. I'm in Radiator Springs."

"Radiator Springs? Good luck with that." Max offered with a grunt, pulling a chuckle from Chick. "Think I'll need it."

He could almost hear the smirk in Max's voice as he spoke, the old truck as predictable as ever. He made a wild attempt to cut Max's conversation short... Wasn't easy with the truck but he had hung up in record time and was once more heading out across the road towards the motel. Might as well get checked in.

He attempted to ignore the stares from the population of the town as he drove across the street and into the Cozy Cone Motel... He wasn't exactly welcome here... And he knew it...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Soft groan echoed through the otherwise silent room as light forced its way in through the windows. Even though it was overcast the lone patient in the room cringed. He knew he was suppose to fear light... He opened his eyes, the image of light for a moment flooding his senses...

That wasn't the only sense... He could feel... That was something that wasn't suppose to be possible... He could feel a cool breeze curling across his heated hide and brushing across the metallic finish. He could taste the slight bitterness of thirst in his mouth... He could smell the strong scent of a very sterile environment... These where things he had never before felt and where suddenly flooding him...

Worse yet he could feel... A pulse... Deep in his own engine a fuel pump steadily pumped fuel and other fluids he needed into his engine and other parts of his body... In every part of him, sensors where waking up for the first time and letting him feel the cool air and the warm sun hitting him...

Most would have relished in that peaceful feeling of waking up comfortable despite the fact of being in a medical clinic... However in this case... Seth was terrified. He whimpered as he set back, brief struggle set up... However, Doc had thought ahead. He knew the Mustang would panic. A lift was under him, keeping him suspended in the air just enough so that his tires had no purchase on the ground...

The Mustang let out an almost feral sounding yell, both frustrated and terrified... The last thing he registered was Doc hurrying to his side from his office...

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. Knight Rider belongs to Glen A. Larson. Stone is of course mine to, cause I love him.

Notes: This time I would like to make a very special note to Arty. Yes, Kitt is also the most awesome of cars. But Karr is much awesomer... For you see, his is the most evil of cars and therefore simply cool XD. Yay Karr! (Some of us have a healthy obsession with the bad guy... They need love to!) Anywho thanks y'all for the reviews! Rock on!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff talk to him!"

"Seth, calm down boy!" Sheriff yelled out over Seth's struggles as the Mustang once again attempted to set back and escape his 'captors'. At first the lift, keeping his tires a few inches off the floor had been enough. But a few minutes into his wild struggles and Doc had been forced to strap him to the lift to keep him from hurting himself.

Sheriff's voice had very little calming affect, the car seeming hell bent on getting as far away from that clinic as he could. A loud pop of the heavy strap Doc used to tie him down echoed through the room, the Mustang shifting a bit on the lift.

Doc cursed and moved to correct the problem but it was to late. With that small amount of traction, the Mustang was able to break the other strap and surge forward. He hit the ground hard, his tires leaving thick black marks on the floor of the clinic, smell of burning rubber touching the air as the Mustang surged forward. He hit the double doors of the clinic with his full weight. Screech of metal on metal, and the doors had given under the pressure, folding in on each other to allow the Mustang to pass through.

Sheriff and Doc hurried to the ruined doors, the Mustang already disappearing out of town with the speed he was traveling. Sheriff didn't hesitate longer than a second or two before sirens where clicked on and he followed the Mustang into the overcast day...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Six hours... Six hours and he still couldn't find the dang car. Sheriff sighed heavily and worked his way up the back roads near town for what seemed like the hundredth time... He had clicked off his siren hours ago. Now only the light was going and that reasoning more so Seth would know just who the hell he was if he happened to spot Sheriff before Sheriff spotted Seth.

That was considering Seth wanted anything to do with him... Though it was also in the realm of possibilities that Sheriff was the only true connection he had at the moment to the world he was use to. He knew Sheriff... However interesting the relationship between them was. It normally consisted of a lot of yelling on Sheriff's side and amusement at the silly mortals on Seth's.

That however had all changed now. When he started out it had been late afternoon, though now night had fallen. Full moon somewhat lit up the land but the fact that it was still overcast didn't entirely help matters...

Once again he slowly circled down, slowing down through the parts of town that Seth could easily hide. He had checked the outer parts of town and down into ornament valley... He didn't think he would go much further than that. Unless he took the interstate or 66 a Mustang couldn't exactly take on the off road terrain...

With that in mind he had put out an all points bulletin hours ago to the state troopers to keep an eye out for Seth. Disturbed mental patient was what he had called him. Go easy on him, just get him back here...

He sighed heavily as he slowly pulled up to Flo's café and let his lights shut off. He was getting nowhere fast...

"Sheriff isn't there anything we can do to help?" Flow questioned, pulling a sigh from the old police car.

"Keep an eye out for him... Search for him if ya want but don't approach him if ya find him." He warned slowly, attention as always up the street. "I'm honestly not entirely sure what he would do..."

"Have you checked up near wheel well?" Sally questioned, slight tilt of her frame given.

Sheriff paused for a moment going over the dozens of places he had searched. That he hadn't... "No..."

"Might want to try it. It's quiet and its sheltered from the elements he might be attempting to avoid."

"Or simply the cold." Sheriff reasoned. "Don't think he's ever felt it before..." He smiled and nodded, letting his engine fire to life. "Thanks miss Sally" He offered, suddenly taking off, lights once more going though siren remained silent.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was about a thirty minute drive up to wheel well. No one ever bothered to enforce speeding laws up on those roads so Sheriff very rarely ventured to them. After all if anyone went more than a decent speed on those winding roads... They would probably die... It was a great drive but the road wound around like a snake in some places.

Sheriff pulled up to Wheel Well fully expecting to see nothing. If anything he figured Seth would be inside. Though what he found was a dark silhouette pulled up to the edge of the overlook. He knew Sally came up here often. The well worn part of the ground was caused mostly by her. But the familiar black form parked there at the moment was definitely not Sally.

Sheriff shut his lights off, and quietly pulled up behind him, not wanting to startle the car. Sally had enough sense to keep back from the edge... Seth was pulled up so close that his prow hung over, his tires resting right on the edge before it sloped off into something way to steep for anyone to have any hope of pulling back from the fall. Once upon a time there had been guard rails up... But after years of letting the place go, the weather had washed away the ground beneath them and the guard rails had fallen victim to the steep fall of the mountain.

"Seth?" He called quietly, keeping his voice low. He spoke to him as if he where speaking to a victim... Seth didn't even twitch, his attention fully on the neon lights of the town below him. Normally this time of year no one bothered to turn on their signs. But at dusk all signs had clicked on, to light up the streets and make Sheriff's search a bit easier on him.

Sheriff swallowed hard and carefully pulled up, somewhat beside the Mustang. "Nice night isn't it?"

Still Seth didn't say a word, his gaze somewhat blank. In the afterlife his eyes had been a deep crimson... But now in life... They had turned a warm gold, for reasons Sheriff couldn't even begin to guess.

"We didn't mean to frighten you Seth. I'm sure you have a lot of questions..."

"I know what's happening." Seth muttered, voice finally cutting through the night. "I know..."

"Well of course you do. You where Death. You know the difference between life and death, but I'm sure you have questions." Sheriff offered with a light smile.

"Doesn't matter..." Seth muttered, blank gaze still casting across the landscape below.

Sheriff sighed and gave a hard swallow as he studied Seth. He was a police officer... He was trained to know what people where thinking... He also knew well the image of someone who just might do something to hurt themselves... The thought that he might wasn't a comforting one when they where parked several hundred feet up and Seth's tires where settled on the edge of a very steep mountain side.

"Seth... I'm sure you're hungry. Why don't you come with me. We'll go down to Flo's café and get a few quarts of oil." He suggested, though Seth didn't seem to be even acknowledging Sheriff's existence at the moment.

"Seth" He called out again, this time a little more firmly. Finally Seth tilted just enough so that his frame was tipped in Sheriff's direction, a sign he was listening.

"Come away from there. Come to me and we'll go into Wheel Well where it's warm." He suggested, backing away from the ledge a bit and hoping Seth would come with him, however Seth's only response was to cast his gaze back down towards the town.

"Seth..." Sheriff called out again. This time Seth did somewhat react. He sank a bit lower on his tires, until his frame rested against the ground, a shudder going through the Mustang.

"I can't..." He muttered softly, front prow briefly shaking.

"Can't what?"

"Do this..." Seth clarified, a soft sigh given. "I can... Feel this beating under my hood... It's loud and steady and I can't do it... I would rather spend an eternity burning in hell than feel this beating one more second..." The Mustang whimpered.

Sheriff was stunned to silence for a moment. This wasn't the Death he knew... Though he had always known Seth as an immortal...

He slowly pulled up beside him again, creeping closer and closer by the second. "Yes you can. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you can. There are things in life... That immortals miss out on. Things I'll bet some of them would give anything to have. You have a chance to live a mortal's life. You don't have to be perfect anymore." He reminded him gently, hoping that would drive the Mustang on.

Seth only shook his grill, soft whimper muttered out. "You don't get it do you? I'm Seth... Hell I'm Death!" With that he was yelling, the Mustang seeming desperate. Tires twitched, seeming to be considering edging closer of the edge of where he sat, bringing a cringe from Sheriff. "Death isn't afraid of anything! And yet here I am... I have a perfect way out... I can go back to the afterlife tonight and this will all have been a bad dream... Yet I'm afraid it's going to hurt!" He yelled, one tire lifting and hitting the dirt hard.

"Well it will... Seth this isn't the answer. It's a cheap way out and you know it... You better than anyone. You've seen the aftermath."

Seth gave a snort, a distressed gaze once more cast out across the landscape. "How could they? How could I be mortal? The council can't possibly leave me like this!" He yelled, then fell to silence that drug out for several minutes...

"What about the demon Seth?"

That was it... Rage crossed Seth's features. Pure and simple hate... That drive that Sheriff knew so well.

"That bastard will pay for this..." Seth hissed, tires giving another twitch.

"You won't go back to immortality as you knew it Seth. You'll be dead... The death of a mortal... So if your dead, how are you going to put the demon back where he belongs?" Sheriff reasoned, drawing a soft snort from Seth.

It was that hatred that was his only chance...

"Seth... Please listen to me. Come with me... Back to town. Help us with our demon problem... By the time the demon is gone, then look at your mortality."

"And if it still hurts..." Seth ventured, pulling a sigh from Sheriff.

"Then I will personally help you find a higher cliff. I won't stop you."

Seth's amber gaze turned onto Sheriff, one eye narrowing a bit. "Give me your word on that Mark." He stated, pointedly using his real name.

Sheriff cringed, quietly praying he would never have to carry that out as he nodded. He hoped Seth would come to his senses by then. "If by the time we deal with the demon, you still want to die... I won't stop you Seth. It's your life... You can do with it what you want. But I would still beg you to reconsider. You don't know what you would be missing."

Seth glared at him for a moment, though did nod. Fair enough...

Sheriff smiled and backed up a bit, this time Seth pulling back and away from the ledge with him. A chill was slowly creeping up on the night. That was the thing about the dessert... Even in the winter or the summer it was hot as all hell during the day... As soon as the sun went down the bitter cold set in...

"Come on Seth. I have room at the station. You can stay there." Sheriff offered, silently pulling back onto the road to begin the decent back into the town. Seth followed in complete silence.

From further up the mountain, an ebony form sat parked watching the two leave. Cain chuckled softly, settling back on his tires. "So... The Mustang is mortal now... Fascinating..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Park it." Chick quickly parked in a spot close to the door as his father circled the hotel room they where sharing. They had left the police station an hour ago... Still his father hadn't spoken a word to him. That... Was a bit disturbing. The longer his father went without blowing up, the worse it would be... There was also no where he could run this time... At home he would have hid in the barn or under the porch... Hid until his father cooled down..._

_It had been just him and Ralph for the past two years. His sister moved abruptly, or rather been thrown out when she brought home the love of her life from college. A pickup truck named Ranger. _

_Ralph narrowed his eyes at the young stock car in front of him. "Boy... You'll never amount to anything..._

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Chick woke with a start, the memory still bold in his mind. Some part of his mind was flying through what had happened next... His father had been furious with him. Not so much because he had run away... Because he had been forced to come after him. Because of the humiliation of having to come and bail him out of jail. They where suppose to leave in the morning light, but Chick hadn't been able to get to his tires for three days after that.

The race car gave a shudder and quickly got to his tires, moving around the motel room. A cone... It was kinda neat in its own little way... Either way it was a place to stay. He was always restless after nights like this... Normally these old memories came back after a race when he was still a little to wired to sleep, but tonight it seemed he would have to put up with it anyway. To make things worse it was the ninth time he had snatched awake that night... He was starting to give up entirely on any hope for sleep.

He moved to the window, slight tilt of his frame given when he spotted lights on across the street. Flo's café was lit up. What was it doing open this late in the night? He frowned and checked the clock. Sure enough... One in the morning. He shrugged and silently hit the switch on the door. He didn't want to hang around his cone... Normally he would have gone looking for Max to head down to a local bar or maybe even called his brother to chat... He didn't like the cars of this town but at least they where some form of company.

The race car paused at the curb leading into the hotel, out of habit of living in California, checking for traffic before making his way across.

"Well you're up late sugar." Flo quipped, silently bringing Chick a can of oil as he pulled into an empty spot. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Not in this town it seems." Chick muttered, drawing oddly enough a chuckle from Lightning.

"Miss the sounds of traffic?" Lightning questioned, gaining a slight glare from Chick. Did they really have to actually be nice to him? It was bad enough that he was stuck here but their hospitality was a bit much.

Flo put a can of oil in front of him, a smile crossing her grill. "Warm oil helps with nightmares sweety." She offered before heading off, leaving a very confused Chick behind. How did she...

"So what's everyone else doing over here anyway?" Chick questioned, shrugging off the puzzlement of Flo's statement. "Would think in a quiet town like this everyone would be asleep this time of night."

"Normally." Lightning admitted, silently backing up into a spot to park beside Sally.

The entire town fell to silence somewhat abruptly as a sharp light cut through the darkness. Headlights... Twin sets of headlights rolled onto the edge of town, stopping at the little used police station, both sets soon disappearing. Doc frowned quietly and offered a departing nod to those still gathered and made his way towards the police station.

"I miss something?" Chick questioned softly. Sally sighed quietly and shook her grill. "Do your sanity a favor and don't ask." She advised, drawing only a nod from Chick.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff?"

Doc frowned quietly at the silence of the police station, the building normally full of the well lived in warmth that tended to come with someone's home and not a business. He always worried about the old police car. Sheriff had rolled into town about two weeks before Doc did. Despite what many thought, they had quite a bit in common actually. Neither one of them had been to willing to discuss their past... He had never been sure on Sheriff's reasons. Nearly fifty years later and he still had no idea where the old patrol car had come from, though judging from his accent if he had to guess he would say Texas or somewhere there about.

He always worried about his old friend... He had been nagging the old car for years to find some help... His deputy had been one of the last vehicles to leave, nearly fifteen years ago. Went to Las Vegas last he heard. True with only a hand full of vehicles even living in the town one cop had probably all that had been needed. But it was getting busier at certain times of the year now... Also he would never say it to Sheriff but the old patrol car was getting old... God forbid he ever pull someone over and be met with the barrel of a gun...

In this part of Nevada, the radios tended to flicker on and off. No one would even know something was wrong until Sheriff didn't show up again after his patrols. Also something Doc would never confront him about, but he knew damn well the old patrol car was struggling... Hell Doc knew what he paid him to keep the town safe and he knew it wasn't enough. Unfortunately that was all the town itself could afford. They where all struggling. From Luigi and Flo 'forgetting' to add up tabs at the end of the month, to Ramone announcing someone needed a new paint job and randomly yelling happy birthday the way he tended to do...

"Sheriff!" He called out again into the darkness, somewhat puzzled by the silence. Where was he?

A thump somewhere behind him caught his attention. He spun around, fully expecting to see Sheriff, though what he came to face was a dark shadow, low to the ground, and definitely not Sheriff... He let out a startled yelp backing up quickly until his fender connected with the cold metal of the single cell in the station. The shadow remained where it was, seeming to be watching Doc, complete silence kept to it.

"Found it!" Sheriff's voice rang out through the dark room and the sound of a generator engine turning over filled the space of the silence, light suddenly flooding the room.

The shadow turned out to be Seth, the Mustang silently regaurding a very startled Doc, as someone might who was watching some type of bug...

"Doc?" Sheriff questioned, looking puzzled as he came around the corner. "Your friend's a little jumpy." Seth stated simply, rolling around the two

Sheriff smiled at the old Hudson Hornet, gaining a slight glare from Doc. "Not a word."

"Wasn't gonna say a thing. Seth's scary." Sheriff offered with a chuckle.

Doc only rolled his eyes and regarded his friend. "Well I tend to do that when coming into a dark room and there's someone sneaking up behind me... What's with the generator anyway?"

"I don't know." Sheriff admitted with a shrug. "Power was up this evening after the electricians finished putting the lines back up... Was out when I came home so go fig. I figure squirrel or somethin' got up in there. Or maybe they just didn't hook the lines up right. Either way I'll get um back out here tomorrow."

Doc only nodded, a sigh muttered and cast a gaze in the direction Seth had gone. "So, I take it you found him." Doc commented, drawing a nod from Sheriff.

"Yeah... Up and Wheel Well..." Doc nodded slowly, then gave the officer a puzzled gaze. "What was he doing up there?"

"Trying to convince himself to drive over the ledge."

At Doc's stunned expression, Sheriff cast a gaze towards the room Seth had gone into and gestured for Doc to move away. They moved off, out of ear shot, Sheriff lowering his voice to almost a whisper.

"He's taking this hard... Says he can't stand to feel his fuel pump beat... I told him to give it until we find the demon. That if he still felt this way I wouldn't stop him."

Doc nodded slowly, gesturing for Sheriff to go on. "So what if we find the demon tomorrow? Hell what if it's weeks and we still can't change his mind. I'm just a cop Doc I'm not trained for this crap!" Sheriff insisted, the patrol car pulling away to pace back and forth across the room.

"Stop it Sheriff, your getting yourself worked up for nothing." Doc stated calmly, that at least doing the trick to pull the patrol car to a stop.

"Now, take this one step at a time. Let Seth get some sleep. In the morning make sure he gets breakfast... Then get him over to my office so I can take a look at him. Make sure he hasn't managed to hurt himself in the time he's been here."

"I don't think he has." Sheriff offered quietly, casting a glance towards the room he had gone into. The lights remained off, almost as if the vehicle where hiding from them.

Doc sighed, slight shake of his grill given before he went on. "After I check him over we'll look at this further. We're going to have to figure out just what to do with him..."

"He can stay with me." Sheriff offered, gaining a slow nod from Doc.

"You sure?"

Sheriff only nodded, looking somewhat thoughtful for a moment. "Yup... More than enough room in the station. We should be fine." Sheriff offered quietly.

Doc nodded, one last glance cast in Seth's direction before bidding his old friend goodnight.

By the time he drove out of the station, the streets where for the most part empty. Only Luigi was still out at his shop and even he was preparing to go home, the little car going through the motions of making sure his little store was locked up for the night before heading back to his home.

Doc let out a soft chuckle before crossing the street to his clinic. A light was on in the other room, the dull flicker telling him that it was the TV. He pulled into the doorway, Lightning to focused on the show he was watching to notice. From what he could catch it was House... Well wasn't as bad as anything else he could be watching. The race car had a slight obsession with the show ER. A show that in Doc's opinion was absolute bull. You could not talk while having been intibated for God's sake! Lightning claimed he read to much into it. Though it wasn't like it was a good show anyway.

Doc chuckled quietly and backed out of the doorway, heading towards his own room. One tire bumped out to push open the door, that same tire clicking the lights on, only to find that whatever light problem Sheriff was having was apparently catchy.

He sighed heavily, moving to an old trunk he kept at one side of the room and rummaged around until he found a storm candle. He set it up and grabbed a lighter, letting the flame flair to life.

"Doctor Hudson?" He jumped as a feminine voice spoke in the room, spinning around, for the second time that night his fuel pump racing.

"Calm down Doctor Hudson." Ebony offered with a slight smile, the black Viper pulling forward. "I'm not here on business. Though I will be if you keep letting your fuel pump go like that. I do not want an abrupt engine failure in here."

Doc gave a quick shake of his grill, glaring at the sports car. "What are you doing here? And just... What the hell?" Was all he could think of to say.

"I would go to Sheriff with this but he has enough to worry about. Besides... You would know what I'm talking about. I'm Ebony by the way in case your forgot... The new Angel of Death." Ebony stated, idly wandering around the room. "Nice place. Very small town doctorish..."

"The point?" Doc questioned, gaining a light smile from Ebony.

"The point is that you have a problem. But it's mostly Seth's problem. I've been talking to the council... Their running around like chickens with their heads cut off up there. Seth has several very big problems coming up... First off, no mortal is ever meant to know as much as Seth does... It will drive him mad and they know it. The council has already started the process..."

"What process?" Doc questioned, somewhat suspicious gaze given.

"The process of his rebirth... Their wiping his memory..."

Doc gave her a stunned look, quick shake of his grill given. "They can't do that..."

"They can and they will..." Ebony offered sadly, turning fully to face him. "Their also putting a false history into place. This could take weeks I might add. You have time. He's not going to wake up tomorrow and think he's always been mortal."

Doc nodded slowly, seeming to consider that and sighed. "What's the false history?"

Ebony sighed and gave a shake of her head. "I've already said to much... The council doesn't even know I'm down here..."

"Then one more bit of information won't hurt now will it?" Doc pressed, gaining a slow nod from Ebony.

"You'll find out soon enough... They have to work him into the history of this town and relate him to the others. He needs people around him. He's always been a solitary creature... Mortals are very social... So they have to connect him somehow to the town..."

Doc nodded slowly to that. It made sense...

"Also something from a destructive point... You already know he has a problem with his fuel pump and the sound it makes... Before morning you need to cover every reflective surface in town. If he sees his reflection he's going to nut up..."

"Why?" Doc questioned, an honestly confused look given.

Ebony sighed and gestured to the mirror on one wall of Doc's room. He cast a glance over and jumped back a bit. He saw himself... Alone in a room...

"Death doesn't cast a reflection. He's never seen his own image before. Death... lives a difficult immortal life... He's spent years dragging people down to hell... He's not a bad car, but that's his job... I do the same thing now... The difference is that I don't have to look at myself in the mirror..."

"I had never thought if it that way..." Doc admitted slowly, gaining a nod from Ebony.

"Very few do... Just... Go easy on him. And do me a favor and ask him what the hell I'm suppose to do with the Shadows." Doc chuckled and nodded quietly.

"Oh, another thing... Something you really need to worry about... The Vatican knows an angel as fallen. Their sending priests to Radiator Springs... You can't let them take him. If they do, he won't survive and he can't die now. If he dies now he's still in deep for that little thing with Lightning... His afterlife isn't exactly going to be a good one. He needs time to repent... If he stays in Radiator Springs he'll do fine.. If the priests take him... He's on my lists..."

Doc nodded slowly at that information. Ebony offered a weak smile and vanished into thin air.

"Doc?"

Doc jumped a bit and twisted around, Lightning standing in the doorway. "Who are you talking to?" He questioned slowly, the young race car looking concerned.

"No one..." Doc offered, and idea hitting him at just the right moment. He gestured to his desk at the far end of the room, an old FM radio set up on it.

"Oh." Lightning stated, smile crossing his grill, clearly relieved. "Sorry Doc. Just wanted to make sure everything was alright. Sheriff find Seth?"

"Yes he did." Doc offered and shot Lightning a smile. "He's going to be staying with Sheriff for a while."

Lightning nodded quietly and smothered off a yawn, backing out of the room. "That's good. See ya in the morning Doc."

Doc nodded a bit, bidding the energetic sports car goodnight, before left alone to his own thoughts. Seemed Death had one hell of a way to shake up an otherwise sleepy little town...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Sarge watch out!"_

_Sarge ducked quickly out of the way as a bomb dropped through the air via a military plane. A Nazi symbol displayed proudly on the side of the aircraft. _

"_Captain, another wave is coming in!"_

_The black jeep in the lead of the small group cast a glance to the sky. Indeed more planes where coming up over the horizon._

"_Alright... We're way out numbered. Fall back!" He called out, the entire group backing up into the heavy forests. However the rain of bombs was unescapable... Explosions rained around them like a storm, the sound deafening..._

_The last thing Sarge remembered, was fire blazing around him. When he woke several hours later... He was in a brick room... Empty but for a single door on one side and a window on the other. Both with bars... A prison... Perfect..._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doc groaned softly as a loud rap on the door of his clinic shook him from his sleep. Figured... He sighed, pushing himself up to his tires and moved into the next room quickly rolling down the hall and through the examination room to get to the front doors. "Somebody had better be on fire!" He called out, hitting the switch to open the front doors.

He frowned slightly at the image of a very worried Fillmore. "Doc... It's Sarge again." Fillmore stated quickly, gaining a nod from Doc. He didn't even question just what was up. Only grabbed his box and headed for Sarge's house. With any luck he wouldn't need to involve anyone else this time. He already knew what was up.

He followed Fillmore down the street and into Sarge's home. This time it was worse than he thought it might be. The living part of the building had been completely turned upside down. Furniture overturned and tables thrown... It looked like WWII had gone on in there... Somewhat bad pun, Doc figured because in a way it had.

"Sarge?" He called, the reaction instant. He had apparently formed a barricade, and when he came out, he came out of hiding ready to fight.

Not good... Doc had been in his share of scraps over the years... When he was younger he had always come out on top. But now... He was a lot older and Sarge was a trained soldier. He wasn't coming out on top of this one and he knew it. A black and white flash, startled him back. Sheriff? Where the hell had he come from

The old police car hit Sarge from the side, the shock of his sudden presence driving the old jeep back.

"Sarge wake up!" Sheriff snapped in a tone that could only be compared to a drill sergeant. Sarge only snarled at him and charged again. This time the jeep caught Sheriff hard across the side. The old patrol car gave a pained grunt and lowered to the ground.

A black blur crossed Doc's vision before he could react, Seth rounding the corner and coming between Sheriff and Sarge. Sarge instantly slid to a stop at the sight of him, a look of shock and pure fear crossing his features.

"Not today, soldier..." Seth whispered, only Sarge seeming to know what the hell he was talking about. The jeep instantly backed off, and parked long enough for Doc to sedate him.

Sarge slowly lowered himself to the ground at the heavy dose of sedative he had been given, slowly coming out of the sleep fueled fight he had been in. "Doc?" He muttered, groggily Doc quickly coming to his side. "Get some sleep Sarge. You've been dreaming again."

Sarge only nodded slowly, eyes closing and out almost instantly.

Doc quickly glanced Sarge over then moved to Sheriff's side to check him over. The car gave a grunt of pain, a wicked dent in his side, but otherwise he looked alright.

"You ok Sheriff?" Sheriff slowly nodded, another grunt of pain given. "Heard a crash over here..." He explained, eye opening to glance at Seth. "Told you to stay at the station."

Seth didn't have an explanation for his presence. Only shrugged quietly.

Doc shook his grill, settling down for a moment to think. It was starting again...

To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Yes! We got one! The Cars characters belong to Pixar and Disney. I don't own them (Kinda wish I did) Don't sue me! I have no money anyway!

-Note- Yay! The next chapter is here! And I will see y'all next week, cause I'm going to Texas. So yay me! Anywho hope y'all like the story. Would like to note on one review in particular. Ask and you shall receive hun. Though seriously you read my mind XD. After all I've been doing to these poor chars y'all should know I ain't gonna let him get away so easily. His recover is a slow one after all. However, yeah... Just read the story. Rock on!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Light filtered in through dust covered windows, shadows playing across a little used desk. Light kept creeping across the floor as if stocking some form of pray before it hit the room's only occupant. Any other day he would have already been up and about.

Sheriff groaned softly at the, what he considered to be, rude wake up call and let one eye crack open. If he just moved the book shelf over two feet he wouldn't have to deal with that problem... He could block out the light entirely...

The thought that he should already be awake and outside crossed his mind, though an attempt to pull his tires under him reminded him why that wasn't happening any time soon... If he even thought he hurt the night before... He was now reminded that when driving into a fray like that... It was always much worse the next morning. He was really getting to old for this.

He was sorely tempted to just stay in bed, but unfortunately that wasn't an option either. There was things he had to do... He sighed heavily and pulled his tires up under him slowly pushing himself upward. Pain shot through his side but he ignored it.

"Now really Mark. You know that is not advisable." The voice startled him so badly he dropped back to the ground with a yelp, the old patrol car silently glaring at Seth.

"Thought your days of sneaking up on me where over." He griped but Seth only smiled and shrugged.

"Hardly. I'm just getting warmed up. But that's not the point."

Sheriff quirked an eye ridge as Seth came closer, a can of oil set in front of the old patrol car. "Your friend Doc has been here. Wished to know how you where. He decided to go see Sarge first since you where still sleeping. He also left this for you." He stated, gesturing to the can. "Breakfast is after all the most important meal of the day."

The old patrol car gave Seth a somewhat suspicious gaze but did silently take the can. The Mustang was just full of surprises it seemed...

"Why are you being nice?" Sheriff finally questioned, though that only gained a grin from Seth.

"Just keeping you on your treads Mark." He quipped, the Mustang backing up and rolling out of the room.

"Stop calling me Mark!" Sheriff called after the retreating Mustang.

To his surprise Seth stopped in the doorway and half twisted around a smile shot in the patrol car's direction. "I've been meaning to ask you about that Mark. You should embrace your past... Yet you seem to run from it."

"None of your business Seth."

"Just an observation. Why run from a birth given name? It's a nice name after all." Seth commented with a smirk, amusement playing across his features before he entirely pulled out of the room. Sheriff didn't have response for that... Though it wouldn't have mattered. Seth was already gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Light invaded his peaceful slumber, the bright light pouring over him via an overhead light that had been abruptly cut on... Sarge kept his eyes stubbornly closed to it...

"Come on soldier time to wake up."

"This is cruel and unusual punishment, just so you know..." Sarge muttered, one eye cracking open to glare at the blurry object that was Doc.

"Think it's bad now... I have a dose of sedatives for you and your not gonna like where it goes." Doc quipped, apparently in a somewhat bitter mood. Not that he ever was in a particularly good mood in the morning but it seemed the sudden lack of sleep had the town doctor with about as much patients as a she bear...

Sarge only groaned in response, for a moment considering using something from his shop on the town doctor... But no... Probably wasn't a good idea...

"Doc what happened?" Sarge asked, knowing the side effects of a heavy sedative well enough to know that something had happened...

"You where dreaming." Doc reported quietly and offered a light smile at least some of his bitter attitude melting away. Despite his occasional fowl moods, Doc really was a good doctor that genuinely cared about his patients...

Sarge sighed heavily, closing his eyes and gave a brief flinch. His side ached a bit, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Sheriff." Doc offered, as if reading the jeep's thoughts. "Last night Sheriff clocked you a good one from the side."

Sarge smiled a bit and nodded. "Way to go Sheriff... Where is he anyway?" Under normal circumstances Sheriff would have been in the room with Doc... Just in case Sarge woke up fighting again... Which never happened.

"Still in bed. I gave him a heavy dose of pain killers last night and sent him home... Going to be keeping him there for the rest of the day if I can help it."

Sarge's eyes widened a bit at that bit of news. "What's wrong? Is he alright?"

Doc nodded a bit, frown crossing his grill. "He'll be fine. You just managed to catch him off guard last night. He'll be fine in a day or two. Just needs some rest."

Sarge nodded slowly, eyes for the moment closing. A strange feeling of panic was starting to set in... He couldn't explain it.

"Sarge? You alright?" Doc's voice was becoming distant and hollow... It felt as if he where waking up again...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sarge choked softly as he was abruptly woken up by a wave of water hitting him. He snapped his eyes open again with a soft rasp of air, attempting to catch his breath again. The feeling of warmth and safety was gone, replaced by the freezing cold of a cell...

A small vehicle yelled at him something that was distinctly German... Sarge couldn't understand a word of it...

"Get up." The snapped statement was another vehicle. This one larger than the first, and obviously military.

Sarge instantly got to his tires and cast a quick glance around the room. He was in a cell... His home was gone and so was Doc...

"Doc?" He called out but that only brought a smirk from the car in front of him. "I am afraid not." He stated, voice heavily accented in a German accent.

Sarge quickly backed up but the sudden attack he couldn't throw back. A massive truck had slammed into him from the side, sending him sliding across the slick floor of the cell. The truck yelled at him in German bu the wasn't really listening as he charged, grill lowered a bit the army jeep ready to go down fighting.

He zeroed in on the car that seemed to be doing the talking... Their leader he supposed. However he didn't get far. Two cars hit him from the side and within' a moment he found himself pinned against an unforgiving wall. Flash of bright red and green crossed his vision briefly pulling him to some confusion. With that it was as if he was once again waking up...

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sarge! Snap out of it!"

He was back in his home... It took him a moment or two to figure that out. Sarge glanced around the familiar and warm settings for a moment before figureing out two cars where still holding him against the wall...

The flash of red was still at his side. Lightning... The green... Chick Hicks? He didn't have time to wonder what Chick Hicks was doing in his house. He was to concerned with something else. Fillmore was helping Doc slowly get his tires back underneath him.

"Oh, God no..." Sarge muttered, his gaze instantly running over Doc for injuries. It looked as if they had briefly swapped paint, a bit of army green paint currently on Doc's side, mixed with a nasty looking dent but nothing Ramone couldn't fix... He could only hope that was all that was wrong.

"Doc are you alright?" Lightning called, the stock cars loosening their grip on Sarge though not backing off entirely.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got the wind knocked out of me..." Doc muttered, gaining a slow nod from Lightning.

Fillmore silently took over from Chick and Lightning. He pushed a can of oil in front of Sarge who drank it without a question, ignoring the distinct taste of a heavy sedative in it. He wasn't even going to argue the point this time...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks you two." Doc muttered as he limped out into the street again, Lightning and Chick following silently behind. Only then did he cast Chick a curious gaze as to why he was even there.

"Was talking to Pete. Heard yelling and a crash." Chick explained with a slight shrug. Lightning nodded a bit, he about the same. Though in his case he had been caught by Lizzie with some old story at the curio shop. The crash hadn't exactly been quiet.

"I need to go check on Sheriff." Doc offered, another nod of thanks given before limping off in the direction of the station.

Behind them Chick Hicks paused for a moment, before slowly following. They moved into the station without a word, Lightning happy to break off from the group and drop to the ground with a slight pant when the old car hobbled his way into Sheriff's room. Doc was going to have his hood later... Sheriff's room was really an old evidence room that Sheriff himself insisted time and time again was public property. He fussed constantly at Lightning for knocking on his door, insisting that the station was as public as any police station. That didn't matter to anyone else in town. The station was Sheriff's home. And if they came into it without knocking it was only because they felt they where welcome into his home.

Still though Lightning tended to balk a bit at moving into Sheriff's room... The station may have been public but that was Sheriff's private space. After driving in on him while he was up on the lift at Doc's clinic, Lightning almost had a nervous twitch about knocking on doors where Sheriff was concerned. That was to much for any car to have to see...

"So what is this, the police station?" Chick questioned after a moment, puzzled gaze shot in Lightning's direction. "Looks kinda run down..."

"Actually it's Sheriff's home." Lightning whispered softly, these days almost at ease in the presence of what once had been his rival. Their relationship was a strange one... The first day or so when around each other was always tense... Making the first training days on the track a living hell when it was in season... After that Lightning reminded himself to bite his tongue a bit and Chick seemed to get bored with putting down the young rookie every chance he got...

Either way at the moment Lightning was a little to worried to make any comments in Chick's direction.

"Chick... Thanks" Lightning suddenly muttered, gaining Chick's attention.

"For what?"

"For helping." He would offer simply, gaining a nod from Chick. For helping restrain Sarge... He hadn't had to do that... It had just come natural to run in and help them with a problem... Damn this town anyway...

Slight shuffle caught the attention of both vehicles, Sheriff slowly making his way out, followed closely by Doc.

"Mornin' kid." Sheriff muttered in Lightning's direction, a puzzled look shot in Chick's direction. "Mornin' Mr. Hicks..." He muttered, the old patrol car seeming not to know exactly how to take Chick being there.

"Chick's fine." Chick muttered, slight shrug given. Sheriff nodded but didn't bother to correct himself. "Anybody seen Seth?" He questioned, a slight rattle from the other room his response. Sheriff had set up an old office for Seth to sleep in. That seemed to have become his for the moment haven...

"Seth!" Sheriff called out, the vehicle rolling out of the back room, full attention given. The sports car was strangely intimidating... Lightning took a step back, somewhat parking behind Doc, the car in general not wanting much to do with the ex angel. Chick set back a bit, seeming oddly enough shocked to see him, though stood his ground.

"Come on Seth, Doc wants us both in his clinic." Sheriff offered, gaining a rather sour look from Seth himself.

"Don't give me that look. Come on, leaving the station won't kill you, though I might if you keep it up." Seth only rolled his eyes but did quietly follow as Doc and Sheriff turned to limp out of the station. Lightning paused for a moment then skittered after them, though Chick had gone through about all he could take. He silently took his leave, the older stock car heading back towards the Cozy Cone.

As soon as they stepped into the safety of the clinic, Lightning took his leave as well, heading into the back rooms as quickly as possible. Doc was for the moment to distracted to realize he had jumped into the fray like he had and if he could get away with it he was sure as hell going to take the chance.

"Alright Sheriff, you first. Up on the lift." Doc ordered, turning to a desk shoved into the corner of the room. He leafed through Sheriff's normal paper work.

"Seth could you go with Lightning for a moment?" Seth offered a somewhat odd look, but did follow the direction Lightning had taken.

"Something wrong Doc?" Sheriff questioned, drawing a light shake of Doc's grill. "No, not really. Just need to tell you something. Spoke to your friend last night." He muttered as he hit the switch to cause the lift to raise.

Sheriff frowned quietly, thinking that one over before a look of understanding crossed his features. "Ebony?"

Doc nodded, quietly setting up and checking the extent of the damage done. It wasn't to serious... There was a little more damage beneath the cosmetic damage done than he had thought but none of it should be a concern for Sheriff. Would only have him a little sore for a few days.

"What do you know about the council?" Doc questioned, gaining a light sigh form Sheriff.

"Their entire group is one big pain in the bumper. They more or less run things on that side."

Doc nodded a bit, slight sigh muttered. "According to Ebony, Seth was never meant to be here."

Sheriff sighed and gave a light nod. "I know. Found him last night up at Wheel well... He was ready to jump over the ledge.

Doc winced and nodded slowly. "That's not the half of the current problem... Ebony says that whoever this council is, is putting him into a false history. Their wiping his memories of the afterlife."

Sheriff blinked, for a moment seeming to process that. "They can't do that to him. What the hell is he suppose to-" He faded off with a slight yelp, snatching away from what Doc was doing to his side.

"Sorry... That hurt?" Doc questioned, though surprisingly it drew a shake of Sheriff's grill.

"Your tires are cold." Sheriff muttered, drawing a soft chuckle from Doc.

"Sorry. Anyway, Ebony says that within a few weeks he won't remember ever being a-"

He was abruptly cut off, the sound of a sharp yell cutting through the air. Doc sighed and hit the switch to lower the lift so Sheriff could get off. The two hurried into the other room, the problem obvious rather quickly...

Doc had forgotten to cover the mirrors... In all the excitement of the morning he hadn't given it a second thought. Seth looked as if he had seen a ghost, the car having backed up across the room until his bumper hit the wall. He stared straight ahead an old dust covered mirror propped against the wall... It wouldn't have even been there but it had been propped there after Lightning cleaned out the hall closet.

"Seth!" Sheriff called, attempting to cut through his panic. Doc frowned a bit, a glance taken around. He picked up a wrench that had been tossed aside and threw it hard at the mirror. The glass shattered, Seth's image fragmenting. That seemed to snap him out of it, the vehicle slowly backing up behind the one vehicle that was entirely familiar to him.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Pete I'm tellin' ya there's something weird going on around here." Chick muttered to his driver as he settled down not far from the massive rig. Pete opened his eyes and let a smile creep across his grill at his boss and friend.

"Not so weird boss. Not that I've seen anyway. You should get to know the locals."

Chick rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Pete had a very easy going nature. A very 'everyone is my friend' attitude that really clashed with Chick's 'stay the hell away from me' attitude. Max was somewhere in between which was probably the only reason the truck and his boss could stand each other.

"Pete I think the locals would be more than happy for me to go away and never come back."

Pete offered his boss a scolding look. "Hey... You never know."

Chick sighed and gave a shake of his grill, silently settling down at the truck's side, lowering himself until his frame brushed the grass beneath him.

"You've been having nightmares haven't you?" The statement caught Chick off guard. But when he glanced up Pete was giving him that simple "You can't fool me" gaze he was so good at.

"Yes..."

"About your father?"

Chick silently nodded.

"He's dead you know..."

"No I wasn't aware of that Pete. Thanks for pointing it out." Chick snapped, abruptly giving up and leaving a very taken back Pete behind him. He hadn't meant to irritate the race car. Only offer some comfort...

Chick quietly stormed back around the side of the building. Normally a simple comment like that wouldn't have him so angry with Pete... No... He wasn't angry with Pete. He was angry with himself...

He was the one who was letting a few bad dreams get to him like they where...

He let out a heavy sigh, about to come around the side of Flo's café when he almost ran into someone. "Sorry." He muttered, not even bothering to look up.

"Watch where you're going you ungrateful little brat!" That familiar voice caused Chick to freeze in his tracks... It wasn't possible... Was it?

"What?" He stammered, that rough and ready tone he normally had entirely gone... It was replaced with only the voice of a frightened child...

"I said watch where you're going! I knew I had raised a brat... I didn't think he was stupid to." He was finally brave enough to glance up after a moment. Ralph Hicks was parked in his path.

"Dad?" He whispered quietly, slowly backing up. This was insane... He knew damn well Ralph Hicks was dead... Then why was he here?

"Though you could get rid of me, just because you put me in the ground? I'm surprised it wasn't you that killed me Chick. Just like your mama..."

Chick gave a slight choke and pulled back a bit more. "This isn't possible..."

"Oh? And why isn't it? I'm right in front of you aren't I? So stupid you can't even believe that?"

Chick closed his eyes tightly as Ralph abruptly pulled towards him. But the blow he expected never came.

"Mr. Hicks?"

The voice caught him off guard. He opened his eyes again to an empty lot... Ralph was gone...

"Mr. Hicks are you alright?"

He snatched his attention around, turning to face Flo. The show car gave him a concerned gaze, pausing in her task of moving cans to the front of the café.

"Yeah..." He muttered, glancing quickly around. "I'm fine..."

Flo didn't buy that. She frowned and came up beside the stock car, a tire laid against him. "Why honey you're shaking like a leaf!" She gave the car a nudge, now determined he wasn't going to get away from her. "Come on hun. I'll get you a hot cup of oil at the café and you can tell me what's happened."

Chick took a slow glance around the empty lot once more. He was to afraid to be alone at the moment... Therefore he didn't fight the contact. Simply followed the show car towards the café... A hot cup of oil sounded good right about now...

Flo stopped next to the café to dump off the cans she had been carrying and silently disappeared into the building. She was back in a moment, a steaming cup of oil set down in front of Chick. He gratefully nodded and sipped at it, trying hard to get his father's voice out of his mind.

"Now, you wanna tell me what happened?" Flo questioned, but all that brought from Chick was a quick shake of his grill.

Flo regarded him for a long moment, soft hum given to herself.

"You know... Whatever you saw wasn't real." Chick snatched his gaze up at her, for a moment about to snap. Though after a moment's thought he gave that up. No point in it...

"It may have seemed real... We've been having a problem with a certain car... He has a way of getting into your mind... Just ignore it for now..." She advised.

Chick sighed heavily and nodded. "Thanks..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Your Doctor friend has cold tires."

Sheriff laughed at Seth's sudden statement, a slight shake of his grill given. "Can't argue that one Seth." He commented with a chuckle. Night was falling... Things where winding down for the day. In short... He could finally get back to sleep and try and ignore the shooting pain in his side...

The old patrol car quietly limped around the station, putting things in order for the night. He couldn't help but think he should be on the streets... He should be out looking for that demon car... But a glare from Doc when the topic was even so much as brought up was enough to convince him otherwise...

Doc would hear none of it...

Sheriff as of that moment was officially off duty. At least until he could put weight on his right back tire again...

"Seth why was it that Sarge was so afraid of you last night?" Sheriff suddenly questioned, not bothering to turn around to face the car.

"I let him see me once... At the time he was on the edge of death and even the other side wasn't entirely sure if he would be crossing over soon or not."

That caught Sheriff's attention, the patrol car regaurding Seth for a long moment. "What happened?"

Seth was quiet for a moment, seeming to be considering weather or not it was even his place to say. Though after a moment he nodded, a soft sigh let out. "I came for his partner. Someone he had grown up with and to that point had never been separated from. I thought I was going to have to take him to. He was taken captive. I knew he could see me, but I didn't expect him to start talking to me..."

"Why could he see you? He a medium to?" Seth chuckled softly at Sheriff's almost hopeful tone.

"No... The dying and the delirious can see me... He wasn't dying... But his mind was slipping a bit."

Sheriff gave a somewhat puzzled gaze in Seth's direction at that. "The dying and the... I didn't know that... Then why could the others in this town see you? That day at the café..."

"Because I wanted them to. Sheriff I was first and foremost an angel. It just so happens that I am or rather was over death."

Sheriff nodded slowly to that. It made sense.

"There's a lot about the other life that you don't know about Sheriff. Don't ever think that it's not there just because you can't see it."

"About that Seth..."

The Mustang turned his full attention to Sheriff, slight tilt of his frame given.

"Doc had a visit from Ebony last night."

That brought a puzzled gaze from the Mustang. "I don't remember seeing his name on any of my lists..."

"Not that kind of visit. She gave to give him a bit of information."

Seth sighed, a slow shake of his grill given. "She had better not let the council catch her doing that... They don't put up with information given to mortals."

"Think this was a different set of events... It was about you."

Seth's attention was fully caught on that note. "Me?"

"Seth how much do you remember about the other side?"

Seth let a frown cross his grill and shrugged. "Everything... About the mortal world to..." Though even Seth wasn't so sure on that... For the first time in his life there was a normal fog on things that had happened years before... As if any mortal who did something twenty or thirty years before... Then forgot about it...

"Yeah..." Sheriff muttered, as if able to read the car's mind. He turned away from Seth, once more rummaging through a few old boxes.

After a few moments he found what he was looking for and a heavy leather bound book was dropped in front of Seth.

"That... Is an old case book that was never used. There's hundreds of them around here. The old Sheriff ordered them and well... Radiator Springs isn't exactly a place of great criminal activity. I think I'm still on the case book I started back in the fifties. And most of those cases are little disputes between Sarge and Fillmore. Just ignore the places for case numbers... And start writing down what you remember... It can't hurt... And you just might get to keep some memory of who you are."

Seth considered that for a long moment, and slowly nodded gratefully. That... Couldn't hurt at all...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Now... He was regretting it...

Lightning gave a slight groan as he shifted, attempting to find a comfortable spot to lay down... The car had tried lowering himself to the ground... He had also tried just parking... He had tried the soft surface of his bed and the harder surface of the floor... Now he couldn't deny it anymore... He hurt...

What worried him was that it wasn't just a dull ache that he might expect after tackling Sarge to the ground with Chick... It started at a spot just behind his left front tire and ran down across his door panel. From there it felt as if someone had gouged a knife into his side and was steadily twisting...

The pain had started fairly soon after his run in with Sarge... It had steadily gotten worse through the day... Now, not only was he hurting, he couldn't decide if he was hot or cold... Chills seemed to come on in waves...

He also knew damn well that about three hours ago was the point he really should have woken Doc up... But Doc had problems of his own. Unfortunately now he was running out of options. Which was what drove him to his tires, the race car limping his way back down the hall.

He gave Doc's door a good push with one tire, the door swinging open easily, the quiet snoring in the darkness inside the room telling him Doc wasn't in his office. Great... Put even more guilt on a car. Doc hadn't been sleeping well with all that was going on and he knew it.

"Doc?" No response but for the snoring. If he wasn't in so much pain he would have turned around and gone back to bed to deal with it alone. He sighed and pulled up to Doc's side, the car giving Doc's fender a good nudge with a tire.

"Doc"

This time the old car did wake up, a slight start given. He blinked quietly as he attempted to focus on the red haze in front of him before it focused into a vehicle.

"Lightning?" He questioned, a slight yawn smothered off before getting to his tires. "What's wrong? Someone having another nightmare?"

Lightning sighed and gave a shake of his grill. "No... Not this time... Something hurts..."

Doc offered the race car a concerned gaze and lifted a tire, settling it against the car's side. Waves of heat came off of the car's side. If he didn't know any better he would have thought the car had just been in a race. He slowly pulled back, concern deepening across his features.

"Alright... Come on Lightning, on the lift." He stated simply, the old car moving towards the clinic part of his home. Lightning limped along behind him... But in the end Doc was forced to pull back and help the car into his clinic. As if they didn't have another problems...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_And in other news, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet has taken home yet another Piston Cup. He also broke several track records in the process-"_

_The radio announcer's voice was abruptly cut off as Deputy Mark Carson abruptly clicked off the radio, his interest in the local racing scene about zilch. Even when everyone was going so nutty about this Hudson Hornet._

"_S'pose it's a Texas thing. No movement in the heat of summer." He muttered to himself, soft chuckle given as he silently pulled around the endless city streets. Painfully quiet this afternoon, which wasn't exactly a bad thing. With the lack of calls he had taken to idly patrolling the city streets. He had broken up one quarrel between two young Chevy's, and pulled over some young hot rod for speeding but otherwise it had been silent. _

"_12 come back" The voice startled him from his thoughts as his radio hissed to life, his dispatcher's voice cutting through to his thoughts._

"_This is 12, go ahead." He responded, halfway expecting a call though knowing it wasn't gonna happen._

"_Your home HQ says that the eagle has landed. And off the record if you're late again this time you're tractor chow."_

_Mark laughed and silently moved on. "What time is it HQ?"_

"_Time for you to clock out and go home."_

_He chuckled and smiled to himself. Every night for the past week a call had come in just at the end of the shift, keeping him out later than expected. His wife wasn't happy in the least. That meant that dinner was ready and she wasn't taking him being late again._

"_Alright, go ahead and clock me out HQ"_

"_10-4"_

_Mark only laughed in response and changed direction, heading into the suburbs. That feeling that he was almost home maybe but the area he had been patrolling wasn't that far away. He pulled down the well known streets, and finally into his own home, pulling up into the small house he shared with his wife, an upbeat, deep blue, Mercury. _

"_Well it's about time." She commented, teasing smile crossing her grill as he pulled into the kitchen. The patrol car smirked, light chuckle muttered and offered her a nuzzle. _

"_Wouldn't dare be late again sweet heart." He commented, slight snicker given._

"_Just you remember that." She teased, pushing a can of oil to him and idly began wandering around the kitchen, a radio playing somewhere. He smiled to himself, a contented rumble given._

"_Love you Julia." He commented, drawing a smile from her as she set another can of oil down beside him, then settled herself across from him with a can of oil of her own. He only laughed as she nudged him, the light hitting the silver wings etched artfully across her hood. Angel's wings she always called them. The feathery art came down across her hood and followed the curve across her grill and door panels. Most people took one look at her and gasped at the sight of that bold tattoo. This wasn't a time that it was all that widely accepted. But she had wanted it done. So when Mark had taken her to Cancun on their honeymoon he had suggested she hit one of the many art shops and have it done if she wanted it._

_He didn't care what anyone thought on that matter. She loved it and he had to admit so did he. It made her unique personality stand out._

"_Seth! Dinner!" She called out, shooting Sheriff a smile as a small black Mustang came barreling around the corner. She put out a tire, stopping the car as he slid to a stop. The child was always a little withdrawn and quiet... However, it was very rare that he actually sat parked and still for a few moments._

"_Whoa hold it there chief. Where you goin' lookin' like your comin' around with a round of buckshot in yer bumper?" Mark questioned, amusement crossing his features. The Mustang grinned at him, before turning full attention to the prospect of filling his fuel tank... "No where Dad. Just hungry."_

_Julia laughed softly, a smirk crossing her features at the child. "He's been a bundle of energy all day..."_

_Suddenly she turned her attention away from the oil, her steady gaze falling onto him as if she had something important to tell him. "Wake up Sheriff." She stated simply, drawing a puzzled look from Mark._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Wake up." She stated again, this time what was a memory of a perfect life abruptly fading and hissing like a TV out of focus._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff gave a soft yelp as he bolted awake, the glow of his alarm clock the only light in the room... It seemed the heavy clouds that had been present since the strange demon car had come to town had finally decided to open up... He could hear the soft patter of rain hitting the glass window of his room..

That... Was strange... The dream had been like a memory... A memory and a vision at the same time. But what in the hell...

He let out a soft groan as what Doc had told him wove it's way into his mind... They where trying to set up a false history... And he was dreaming it...

Seth as his son? He could barely stand the Mustang and they expected him to be a parent over the car?

"Fxxx me..." He yelled at the walls around him and pushed his grill into a battered old blanket he tended to curl up with. Life... Just wasn't fair.

To Be Continued...

(Sheriff got bleeped! Hah!)


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Yes! We got one! The Cars characters belong to Pixar and Disney. I don't own them (Kinda wish I did) Don't sue me! I have no money anyway!

-Note- Yay! The next chapter is here! Yeah... It's been a while. Long time no see and all that. Sorry ya'll, had some major computer issues. Their fixed now and it's write, write, write. So Life's Lessons is getting very much attention again. Woop! Enjoy the chapter! Rock On!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Lightning what in the hell have you done to yourself?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you Doc..." Lightning let out a soft yelp as Doc went about slowly repairing the damage he had done to himself.

"Lightning you've entirely torn through half of your side panels... What have I told you about taking it easy?"

"Sorry Doc..." Lightning muttered, a flinch going through him. "Must've happened when I got into it with Sarge..."

Doc sighed heavily and gave a brief nod. "Probably did..." He couldn't really fuss at him for that, as much as he wanted to. Lightning had jumped to Doc's defense after all... Chick had been in the mix as well. That thought caused him to wonder if Chick had suffered any damage as well... He supposed not... Otherwise the car would be in his office. Or at least complaining about a pain in his side... He didn't think Chick seemed like the kind of car that would keep something of that nature to himself. No, Chick seemed like the kind of car who would very loudly complain about that little fact...

"Lightning does this hurt?" Doc questioned, prodding a bit at a spot on the car's side paneling. Lightning's only response was a soft, pained whine.

"Answers my question." Doc muttered, treating that side with a little more care. It looked as if Lightning's struggle with Sarge had redamaged some of the more delicate fuel systems.

There was no real external damage but as soon as he took a look inside the panel there was fuel and oil everywhere... He couldn't see exactly where the leak was but the fact that it was there was undeniable.

"Lightning I need you to lift your tire upward." He waited for a moment but there was no response from the car. "Lightning?" No use... The young race car had passed out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff?" Soft grumble met the nudge that was given to his fender, the old police car burying his grill a bit further into the old blanket he was curled up in.

The annoying attempts of bring him to wake continued, a somewhat firmer nudge given against his fender. "Sheriff get up."

"G' way" Was the only response Sheriff had for the current annoyance.

"Get up!" The suddenly yelled, statement was coupled with a hard clang of metal against metal as someone struck his side. The old patrol car yelped, snatching awake, to glare at his attacker.

The Mustang that glared right back at him only met his gaze with that annoying 'well I tried to do it nice' expression.

"Alright... I'm awake... Now what do you want?" Sheriff snipped, the old car in no mood to toy with the Mustang. Unfortunately the same didn't go for said Mustang.

"Think something's up." The Mustang reported and just as quickly hopped away, his black frame disappearing into the darkness. Sheriff could only blink for a moment as he stared after the Mustang. Alright... He supposed every being that had once been immortal had their right to be odd every now and again.

Sheriff heaved out a heavy sigh and got to his tires, a good stretch given. "Dang kid." He muttered to himself, rolling out of the dark room and into the main room of the station just in time to see Seth's back bumper disappearing out the front doors.

"Seth, knock it off. What's all this about?" Sheriff called, though he didn't get an answer from the Mustang. Again he heaved a sigh and followed, the old doors of the station opening with a low groan as he stepped out into the night air. "Seth-"

He was abruptly cut off as Seth pulled infront of him with an insistent 'Shh'.

"Would you shut up? You're being loud enough to wake the dead..." Seth snipped, his voice still a harsh whisper. Though after a moment or two he seemed to think over what had just come out of his mouth and smirked. "Who says Death can't make bad puns?" He quipped, the Mustang turning and bolting onto the street. Sheriff rolled his eyes and kicked into gear, following the Mustang.

"Where are we going?" Sheriff's question was met by silence, the two leaving town relatively quickly. Whatever Seth was up to, he wasn't saying...

It was about a fifteen minute drive out into the dessert until Seth stopped dead in his tracks, the Mustang seeming to be satisfied that he was where he wanted to be. Sheriff pulled up beside him, a somewhat suspicious gaze turned to the Mustang.

"Seth?" Sheriff prodded at the sports car, though as halfway expected got no response from him.

"Seth!" That at least got his attention, a rather sour gaze offered. "Quiet. Wait." Seth snipped, the car apparently not about to explain what the hell was going on and why they where out in the middle of the dessert.

Sheriff heaved a sigh and settled down a bit in the sand, brief shiver given. Amazing how cold it became in the middle of the night. The sky was devoid of the light of the stars and moon, a heavy overcast sky hiding any and all of their glow, casting an eery darkness over the landscape.

Half an hour crawled past with the two still sitting parked in that spot, staring out across the landscape. Any attempt to ask what the hell was going on was met by a harsh whisper to hush from Seth. Under normal circumstances Sheriff would have told Seth just what he could go do with himself and gone home... But this was Seth... He hadn't known the car to pull something this strange yet... Not without a reason... Also he was curious... He wanted to know what was going on...

Another five minutes crawled past before the night seemed to become just a bit darker, shadows crawling through what little light existed like a living thing. It took a moment... But the reason did become clear. They where... Seth's shadows where about. "Heya guys!"

Ebony's chipper voice that seemed to come from absolutely nowhere nearly had Sheriff jumping out of his paint. But Seth seemed to have expected the sudden sound. "You're late Ebony."

"Sorry... Got a little tied up..." She muttered, the Viper pulling forward, nearly invisible in the darkness.

"How bad is it up there?" Seth questioned, a slight shudder given at the thought.

"Bad..." Ebony admitted quietly, her gaze then turning to Sheriff a questioning gaze shot in Seth's direction.

"It's alright Ebony." Seth offered with a dip of his grill, his full gaze suddenly turning back to Sheriff.

"Sheriff I brought you out here for a reason. Mostly because I trust you." Seth explained simply, a brief glance cast over to Ebony. "No mortal was ever meant to know the things that we know. That's why I'm losing my memory... For all I know I may entirely lose it tomorrow. That's why I need you here. To listen in and if there is something absolutely vital to your town... You can tell me about it later if I need to know. But I'm also trusting you not to repeat anything that you hear that you don't specifically need to know." Seth sighed softly, the oddness of his request touching his mind. "In other words... Unless it's something that you need to tell Doc about catching a demon or something else that might have impact on Radiator Springs or its something that I need to know, I'm trusting you not to repeat anything that you hear in this dessert tonight."

Sheriff gave a slight blink, but nodded, more than a little amazed that a car that had just a few days before been a pain in his bumper was now trusting him this much. Seth only offered a brief smile, then turned his full attention back to Ebony.

"Alright Ebs... What's the low down?"

Ebony blinked, an amused smirk playing across her features. "What's the low down? Seth honey you've been hanging around me a little to long."

Seth only let out a soft snort, brief glare offered. "Really... Spill it Ebony."

"It's getting bad up there Seth... No one knows what the hell is going on... I'm running behind on my charges and the boss has actually had to make a few appearances..." She gave a slight shudder, apparently not liking that in the least.

"The boss?" Sheriff cut in, drawing a thoughtful gaze from Seth.

"That's a little more than you need to know Sheriff." The mustang offered slowly, but Sheriff gave a slight shake of his grill.

"And if you need to know later?"

Seth sighed heavily but consented to that. "Alright... I'm not the only death. Neither is Ebony. We sort of work in districts..." He paused for a moment, again knowing just how odd that sounded. "Sort of like dimensions. There's a lot more to life than just your world. Some things you'll never know about even after death. Don't worry on it to much... Anyway the boss is the real Death... Ya know, the Grim Reaper? Death's boss... Well then it goes to a much higher power... But the job of Death is a strange one. We're the only group that resides between both heaven and hell. Death is the one who really decides who lives and who dies. I was just a guide."

"And sometimes the one who drags in unwilling souls." Ebony pointed out, gaining a slight nod from Seth. "Which while we're on the topic..." Ebony offered slowly, a snatch of her grill given. The shadows once again seemed to move and twitch like a living thing.

Oddly enough, an almost affectionate smile crossed Seth's features. He seemed right at home with the shadows curling around like a dark liquid, and sliding across his ebony hood. "You should start gathering your own shadows Ebony. This was a very strange event. Under normal circumstances when a death retires his shadows are released... I didn't retire but fell. Therefore my shadows became yours." He explained quietly, eyes closing for a moment as he seemed to speak with the shadows for a moment or two. "Wait until you have one or two to help you... Then let mine go. They've served their purpose."

"Go?" Ebony questioned slowly, drawing a slight nod from Seth. "Yes... As a matter of fact..." He closed his eyes tightly attempting to reach out. He still had enough of his abilities left to call upon certain shadows... Some of his older more trusted shadows stepped forward into clear visibility.

Sheriff gave a soft grunt and pulled back a bit. It was rather disturbing, seeing these shadowy beings. They took the shape of cars and trucks... Some horribly mutilated with the way their death had come about, still driving somewhere between life and death... Others seemed whole enough... None of them bore any features. Shapes and silhouettes of what they had been... Shadows on the dessert floor.

"These, have been with me a very long time Ebony." Seth explained slowly, panting softly at the exertion it had cost to call them forth. There was probably fifty in total that he had called... "Let them go... There are fifteen to twenty more... That's a good solid group... Keep them as long as you need them. These have served their time and should be permitted to pass to the next life." Seth rasped out. Ebony nodded slowly in response. "How..."

"They'll know... Just let them go."

A frown crossed the Viper's grill but she nodded and closed her eyes. As quickly as the shadows had come they where gone, leaving the dessert just a bit more peaceful.

Seth smiled and nodded his approval. "Good... Don't let the shadows walk over you. Be firm with them."

"But where did they come from?" Ebony pressed, drawing a soft sigh from Seth.

"Several places... Ever hear the expression... 'I sold my soul to the devil?"

That pulled a nod from Ebony. "Well I got news for ya. The devil don't want your soul. At least he's not willing to give you anything for it. Chances are... If you're willing to sell something so wonderful, he's gonna get it anyway. However... The angel of death is more than happy to take it. That's where the shadows come from. You'll feel the pull. When you're being called by someone so desperate... Their willing to sell themselves to anyone who will take them, just to get out of the fix they've gotten themselves into... And when they pass from the living world... You'll know it. And you'll have them to serve you. When you feel they have done their time... When you have no more use for them, they move on to be judged. And from there they will either pass to a better place... Or to hell."

Ebony flinched and gave a slow nod to that, silently casting a gaze around as if she could see something they couldn't. She in fact could. She was looking at those who where left.

"Ebony, if you want to survive this business... You can't feel..." Seth warned slowly, a heavy sigh given. "You can be sympathetic... You can offer comfort... But you cannot care for any soul."

That brought on a deafening silence upon the three, Seth's level glare attempting to force Ebony to understand. After a moment it was Sheriff's clearing of his throat that brought the two back to the task that lay ahead of them.

"The demon is rogue." Ebony finally muttered, seeming rather happy to get away from that particular point in time. "Chaos doesn't know anything about it... Neither does any of the other demonic factions that normally plague the world... One of our people even went directly to hell to get some answers... Nothing. No one can tell us where he came from or what he's up to."

"The most dangerous kind... Not a Ventarkan?" Seth mused, bringing a slight nod from Ebony.

"Chaos said he sounded familiar at least... But no, the council doesn't think that what's been happening fits with our original assumption"

Seth gave a slight roll of his eyes. "Like a Ventarkan would tell us if one of his own went rogue. Probably sent the bastard here to screw with our heads." He muttered softly, a slight shake of his grill given. No... To screw with Radiator Springs... Seth had nothing to do with it... His falling was purely an accident... But for a moment it had felt as if he had spent a lifetime in that little town.

He pressed on past the slip, a soft growl given. "Alright, what about my little situation. They gonna do anything about it?"

Ebony sighed and shook her grill. "No... They said that you're on your own... That once an angel has fallen that the angel is no longer their problem. That you will live and be judged with all other mortals..."

Seth let out a heavy sigh and nodded slowly. Great...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A bitter wind whipped through the town, driving all sane vehicles inside in a moment. Most of the town had already bedded down for the night, the time creeping in past the wee hours of the morning... Though some of the occupants that where a bit more out in the weather... Like Mater... Had gone for cover from the wind, the little truck bunking down with Red as he normally did when the nights turned bitter.

Sand blew in like a heavy cloud, billowing through the streets and falling still again in an instant as the wind fell still. A lone vehicle pulled up the street and into the cozy cone without so much as a second thought. The door snatched open as the wind picked up again, startling Sally who had been quietly reading a magazine.

The car was a Sadan style vehicle of simple design. He looked to her like a Buick. Possibly a LaSabre or a Roadmaster... His paint job was a simple black, though not the high gloss that most vehicles painted themselves with. His coloring was a simple matt black which suggested it was the color he had been born with.

"Hello my dear. My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you." He softly explained, a kind smile crossing his grill. He seemed friendly enough... But there was something in his eyes that just didn't match up to the kind voice.

Sally gave a shake of her grill, quickly pushing it out of mind. "Oh it's alright... Are you looking to check into a room?"

"Yes I am. I'm going to be in town for a few days I think... My name is Father Conner McDillen."

A priest... It made sense now. His kind voice and humbled paint... More than likely truly the color he had been born with. In the clear lighting she could also spot a simple symbol on his side panel about the size of a softball. A cross... Though his eyes still didn't really fit the scene...

"Yes sir..." She stated quickly, tapping a few things out into her computer. "Will that be cash or credit?" He smiled quietly and slid a credit card and his ID across the counter. Sally checked him in as quickly as possible. Despite the kind nature of the priest... For some reason she wanted him out of there as soon as possible...

Within' moments she had slid a key to his cone across the counter. He quietly thanked her and pulled back out into the night.

He was kind and gentle... Everything a priest should be... But for whatever reasons... He frightened her...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doc worked well into the night. The damage that Lightning had been complaining of was only surface damage... Part of his door panel had splintered and punctured a tube that wove right into his fuel system. Very serious stuff... But fixable... If he hurried...

A ragged cough was pulled from Lightning, flecks of chipped paint and splintered metal working its way into his filtering system.

If he hurried quickly...

The bits of debris that worked their way past his filtering system and into his engine would be a problem. They ran the risk of causing an acute condition very much like pneumonia. If Doc could get it cleared out fast enough it would run the risk down to a low percentage... With the ruptured fuel line pneumonia wasn't something he felt Lightning could take at this point added onto other problems...

Doc began the process of flushing out his fuel system with clean water, then turned to clearing out the engine block. Lightning choked and gagged on the water, that was being forced across his engine, setting back on his tires hard, forcing Doc to stop before he ran the risk of causing Lightning to fall of the lift.

He took a moment to strap the car down, heavy leather straps securing his tires to the hard metal lift. Again the process started. The slow flood of clean water, cleaning out the systems that very likely had debris in them since Lightning had been wandering around most of the day with the damage he had sustained. The cool water washed over the young race car's engine block, a frown crossing Doc's grill as a dark fluid mixed with the clear in thick streaks. It wouldn't mix and the result was rainbow like colors swirling in and out of the thicker substance. Oil? Doc frowned and quickly checked under the hood again. Sure enough... A sliver of Lightning's side panel had hit him hard enough for a hairline split to start a slow and steady oil leak.

Doc cursed softly and quickly pushed a clean cloth to the split tube. It slowed the leak and stopped it, the split not quite enough to allow to much of the thick fluid through at a time. Had in fact held until water pushed it open wider.

That done he silently moved back into his storage room, a glance taken around at the shelves. He didn't have all of the parts he needed... He was going to have to McGyver it and hope it stuck until he could get Lightning to the next town over.

He quickly picked up a fuel hose that he knew just by looking at it wasn't going to fit... But he could at least rig it into place until he got one that would.

From behind him, Doc heard Lightning give another ragged cough. Heavy sigh left Doc as he turned back around. The car wasn't looking so good at the moment. "Damn it Lightning..." He muttered softly, a shake of his grill given. If the kid had just come to him when he first felt he symptoms...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dawn was just casting its first rays across the sky by the time Sheriff and Seth pulled back into town. It had been a long night and it wasn't exactly as productive as either would have hoped. Sheriff silently pulled into Flo's café, Seth not all that far behind.

"Morning Boys." Both grunted a soft greeting as Flo pulled up, a can of oil pushed in front of each of them. "Rough night?"

"Could say that." Sheriff muttered, a slight nod of agreement given from Seth.

Flo chuckled softly and gave a nod. "Well I'm sure it'll get better. You should really think about hiring some more help now that the town is picking up again Sheriff."

Sheriff gave a soft grunt in agreement, Seth falling silent at his side. If she thought Sheriff had been out all night working the better to it. He wasn't about to correct her on the supernatural.

"So how about it Seth?" Flo suddenly questioned, her gaze turning to the Mustang. "Wouldn't mind a little help out there would ya?"

Seth lifted his grill a bit, surprised as he was spoken to. He supposed so... He knew from listening to the mortals talk that towns normally needed more than one officer. "Yes ma'am..." He supplied slowly, grill tilting with a somewhat puzzled gaze. Why would he mind if Sheriff had help?

Flo laughed and gave a nod. "See Sheriff? Listen to your kid. He's turning into just as good an officer as his father." She stated with a dip of her grill before she was setting off to take care of other customers. Seth offered only a stunned silence while Sheriff choked and sputtered for a moment. Father? As in father of Seth?

"Memory wipe is further than I thought." Seth whispered quietly to Sheriff, pulling a nod from the old patrol car.

"How bad is this..." Sheriff mused slowly, drawing a brief form of shrug from Seth. Attention of both was caught as Doc swept by, the old car grumbling softly to himself, seeming exhausted.

"Hey Doc who am I?" Seth called abruptly, pulling an annoyed gaze from Doc. "Don't have time for this Seth." He stated simply, driving on.

"Yeah but just a quick question, am I related to Sheriff?" Seth called after the car. Doc picked up a can of oil and gave a somewhat puzzled look in Seth's direction. "Not unless he's death to. Now shut yer trap, I'm busy." Doc snapped, hurrying back to his clinic.

"Well at least it's not as bad as we thought." Sheriff mused.

Seth didn't have an answer for that. His gaze was locked on an ebony Buick slowly pulling out of the Cozy Cone and crossing the almost empty main street.

"Who's that?" Seth questioned in a soft whisper. Sheriff could only shake his grill, his gaze locking on the other vehicle. Every one of his senses that he felt made him a decent officer where going off at once... There was nothing standing out about the vehicle that should have set it off. His matt black coloring didn't draw any attention... There was nothing about the car that even said he was looking for trouble... He in fact seemed a bit humble and down to earth. The way he carried himself was that of someone who didn't want to stand out. Who would rather spend his life quietly observing. Though still... That did not set Sheriff's mind at ease.

The car pulled up to a stall at the café, a smile shot in their direction. "Seth?"

That stunned the two... Seth nodded slowly, gaze narrowing on the Buick. "That would be me..."

The Buick offered a bright smile, features pleasing and kind. "I've traveled a long way to get to you Seth... My name is Father Conner McDillen..."

A priest? Doc's warning still rang clear in Sheriff's mind. A warning that had come right from Ebony herself... Without much thought to it he pulled up closer to Seth, the car already taking to protecting the younger Mustang.

"It's nice to meet you Father... Though I fail to see why you would have come searching for me..." Seth stated slowly, looking uncertain of the entire situation.

"Fail to see? Why dear boy, you are of the heavens. That doesn't happen every day." Father Conner explained, a soft chuckle given. "Though of course I don't have to tell you that. I've come to take you home. Though of course it will not be home to you I suppose... But the Vatican is extending every thing possible to make you feel more at ease in your mortal existence. Of course the Pope is very anxious to meet you. This hasn't happened in his lifetime so it is of course a first."

Seth gave a quick shake of his grill, seeming to be set off by all of this. "Hold up a moment... Pope? Home? I fail to see why you feel I am expected to travel with you."

Father Conner offered a stunned look as if that had been the exact opposite of the reaction he had been expecting. "I would have thought you would have been relieved. This town is a nice little town of course but nothing compared the holy sanctuary we can provide you."

"And why do you think I need sanctuary?" Seth pointed out, one eye ridge shooting upward.

The Buick seemed a bit set off at that. Though gaze quickly fell kind as if speaking to a young child that didn't understand. "Forgive me Seth. I was a bit fast to assume... This is of course a very confusing time for you. With falling from grace I assumed they would have at least given you a bit more information..." Now his gaze had turned to pity. Something that caused Seth to bristle a bit.

"Your presence is told by the profits. There are people who think you are the savior of us all. There are also those who think you are the messenger. He who has come to deliver the signs of the day of judgement. Unfortunately there are also those who believe you are the physical form of the Beast. In either case there are those extremists who will attempt to protect their own beliefs. It is in your best interest that you come with me."

Seth's gaze was somewhat flat in response, a slow shake of his grill given. "I know that Father. I am well aware of the darker side of this world. I can take care of myself-"

Father Conner abruptly cut Seth off with a shake of his grill. "With all do respect there are some things that an angel can never understand about the physical-"

"No Father. All respect intended of course... I'm not your normal angelic case. I'm the angel of Death. I know the dark side of the world. I dealt with it every day. I am not a case that needs to be taken upon by your church. My place is here." Seth stated firmly, cutting the priest off just as abruptly.

Father Conner smiled as if he where looking at a young child who didn't no any better. That seemed to cause Seth to bristle once more but he would offer no further comment on it... "Very well... If that is what you must think for now. You will soon see. The only place you are welcome is the church for it will always welcome you in." The priest stated, another tolerant smile given before pulling out of the café and down the street.

"You know... The one thing I've learned about priests over the years is that their way to sure of themselves... Think they have every single thing figured out..." Seth snipped, a quick shake of his grill given.

"That car has some bad vibes..." Sheriff muttered, catching Seth's attention.

"You picked that up to?" Seth questioned, slight tilt of his frame given.

Sheriff could only nod, that gaining a somewhat thoughtful gaze from Seth. "Sheriff if I where you I would keep a close eye on that one..." Seth advised, pulling another quiet nod from Sheriff. The old patrol car couldn't help but agree...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He was stable... It had been a long night, but several hours and several cans of oil later and Lightning was stable. Doc had managed to repair most of the major damage. As soon as the early hours of dawn had struck he had sent Mater for the parts he needed. As soon as he replaced those few parts Lightning would be once again up and ready.

It was amazing how much damage one little car could do to himself by going head to head with an army jeep. He was conserned it might keep him out of the start of the season. Though those fears for now where pushed back. No sense in worrying before it happened and all Doc was really concerned about was repairing the car.

"Doc?" Doc paused and twisted around to face the door as Sheriff pushed open the clinic doors and slipped in. The patrol car paused for a moment, Lightning's presence on the lift catching him off guard. "What's wrong with him?"

Doc sighed heavily and gave a shake of his grill. "Shook somethin' loose... I'm gonna wanna take another look at you to Sheriff." He warned drawing a nod from the Sheriff.

"Later Doc. Right now... Have you seen the newcomer in town yet?' At Doc's puzzled gaze he pressed on. "A priest. Wants to take Seth back with him back to the Vatican."

"Don't let him." Doc stated firmly, "Ebony says that would be a very bad idea." Sheriff could only nod his agreement with that.

"I know... Seth wasn't to willing to go anywhere anyway. Hey Doc... Do you remember Seth?" Sheriff asked out of the blue. At a once more very puzzled gaze from Doc he went on. "I mean... Other than what we know factually happened. Before Lightning was in that wreck..."

Doc nodded slowly for a moment, a quick glance taken in Lightning's direction. "Come with me." Doc stated firmly and headed back into his office. Sheriff offered a puzzled gaze but after a moment followed quietly.

Once behind closed doors, Doc turned on the old patrol car once more. "Alright Sheriff, what's on your mind."

Sheriff gave a heavy sigh for a moment pasing back and forth over the floorboards. "Alright... Well I've been having these dreams and so has Seth... About Seth being here longer than he actually has... And Flo this morning greeted Seth like he had been here for years and made a reference to him working with me."

"Because he's your son."

"Yeah because..." Sheriff paused and gave Doc a puzzled gaze, frame tilting to the side.

"I know Sheriff. I've been having the same dreams. Fortunately for all of us I'm not entirely willing to believe what's easiest to believe." He stated with a shrug and sighed. "I think it also helps if you know what Seth truly is to... I've noticed that he doesn't fool Sarge for a moment, yet Fillmore seems happy enough to accept Seth has just always been here. Sally and Mater to... Though Lizzy seems terrified of Seth. So does Red... I don't think it speaks on the intelligence and beliefs of the individual car... Just what their willing to accept."

Sheriff offered a somewhat stunned gaze and slowly nodded. "But that doesn't make any sense. The others sure but Sally has never believed what comes easiest." Sheriff pointed out with a nod. "And we know that Lizzy tends to easily be swayed by what is told to her. And look at Fillmore. As much as he goes on about government control and things like that why would he so easily go with the group opinion that Seth has simply always been here? And then there's Chick. He's never seen Seth or me in his life and even he seems to know there's something different about him. He's the one person here who if I told him Seth was my son he would have no reason to believe otherwise."

"Because it has nothing to do with gullibility." Sheriff jumped forward and almost landed on top of Doc as Seth's voice sounded behind him. "Dang it Seth!"

Seth could only chuckle, a smile crossing his grill. "Don't blame me Sheriff. I can't help it that your so easy. It's even more of a challenge now I might add."

At Sheriff's glare, Seth would only offer another soft chuckle. "There's a going trend here if you care to look for it."

At Doc's blank gaze Seth sighed and went on. "Back in World War II I was sent to pick up a young soldier. Sarge's best friend. Sarge was with him when he died. When I came for the jeep, Sarge looked right at me. I know he couldn't see me there but he still knew I was there. Over his career he saw many deaths. He and I are old friends though we had never met."

Sheriff and Doc exchanged a long glance but remained silent as Seth went on. "Red is another case. I actually came for him once. He was trapped in a burning building with two others of his team. The two had already died from the smoke. Red was left. I thought I would be taking him with me as well and showed myself to him. However his salvation came in the form of water and a lot of it from a ruptured water main. He has faced death... Chick... He hasn't faced death himself... The night his mother died I came for her. He was only seven or eight... It is very difficult to hide the other world from children... If not impossible... I didn't really try where he was concerned. I felt he needed to know his mother would be in a better place than he was. Considered taking his father as well... The car would have honestly been better off. Either way... He knows me."

The puzzled looks where starting to fade as connections slowly slipped into place. "Lizzy... I had been showing myself to her... Ebony to... I'm afraid your dear Lizzy will not be with you much longer. My job is to comfort those who will pass through judgement to a better life. Lizzy is one of those. I thought that if she knew death better before the time came to take her she would not be as afraid. It's something we do with many who face very little time ahead of them. It's something we do to both the ageing and the ill. Death feels that as long a life as they have lived they deserve a peaceful death. There is little we can do for accident victims who must go on faith, but for those in Lizzy's case we can try and make things easier. Again... She knows me."

That look of connection seemed to have locked into place... "Sheriff you yourself... You're a medium. The other side will have a difficult time fooling you. Doc... You know... Simple as that... Lightning will probably have mixed beliefs as the memories of what happened while he was in a coma settle in. It all depends on just how close you are to death I'm afraid..."

Silence met the office for a long moment before Doc sighed and glanced out the door to where Lightning rest on the lift. "Seth... About the priest..."

"I'm not going anywhere with him." Seth stated firmly, the car abruptly seeming a bit nervous about that line of reference.

"Actually I was just going to suggest that... You can't go with him."

Seth calmed a bit and nodded. "There's something wrong with that car... I'm not entirely sure what yet... I use to have a fairly good handle on these things..." Seth mused and shook his grill. "I just don't like him."

"Me either. I think he's hiding something." Sheriff chimed in, earning a grateful gaze from Seth.

Doc nodded silently, taking both opinions into consideration. While he of course took Ebony's warning to heart, he also had the opinion of his best friend and a car who in any case should know exactly what he was talking about. "Alright... Sheriff... Watch him closely. Seth if you can try to avoid him." Both vehicles nodded to that and turned to leave, though the main clinic doors being pushed open caught the attention of the three of them.

Fillmore had pushed open the doors, his worried features quickly appearing in the doors of Doc's office. "Doc something wrong with Sarge."

Doc sighed heavily and nodded, his full attention offered. "What is it Fillmore?"

"He won't wake up." Doc's expression turned somewhat startled at that bit of information.

"Won't wake up?" Fillmore gave a shake of his grill, heavy sigh leaving the vehicle. "I've done everything I can. He kinda woke up a few minutes ago... But he wasn't Sarge ya know man?"

Doc cast a quick gaze over to Seth, the mustang giving a slow shake of his grill. "Doc that's not good... He might be slipping..."

"Slipping how?"

Seth closed his eyes for a long moment, slow shake of his grill given. "I was wrong before... When I first came here I underestimated the bastard... I thought it was a Ventorkan demon. They tend to do whatever they can to cause chaos and then feed off of the panic and fear that follows... However... If this demon was truly attempting to create chaos there are many more ways that it could be doing it..."

"Like what?" Sheriff prodded after a moment, pulling a soft sigh from Seth. "A lot of ways... Could have set fire to something for example or set something strange loose. Ventorkan demons don't practice a light touch once then gain in strength. Why is he just sticking to nightmares?" Seth abruptly paused, seeming to think on his own question for a moment. "F$"

"Seth!" Doc scolded, gaze narrowing. "Clean up your language boy."

Seth gave a good shake of his grill, pulling quickly out of the office. "Sorry. Where does Sarge live?"

"Seth you know where Sarge lives..." Fillmore stated slowly, looking as if it where Seth that was losing his mind.

Seth let out a soft growl and shook his grill. "Humor me."

Fillmore had a look of puzzlement across his features for a moment but didn't waist any time on that one, quickly heading out of the office and down the street. Seth was right behind him, leaving Sheriff and Doc for a moment alone in the office.

"Any ideas Sheriff?" Doc questioned, gaining a brief shake of his grill from Sheriff. "No... Just follow the boy I think." Doc nodded and headed out the office door after Seth and Fillmore. Fillmore pushed his way into Sarge's home, a light clicked on as the four entered. Sarge was as Fillmore had stated. Not really comatose but he seemed fairly close... Doc frowned and beeped his horn a few times but it gained no response. "You haven't been able to wake him up at all?"

Fillmore gave a slow shake of his grill to that. "Briefly a little while ago... He didn't seem right..."

Doc nodded to that, attention for the moment turned to Seth. "Any ideas?"

Seth gave a slow nod, a hard swallow given. "Unfortunetly... There is an option I was somewhat afraid to consider..."

That did gain Doc's attention, the older car giving a puzzled gaze. "Like?"

Seth sighed heavily and offered a slow dip of his grill. "Well... There's a demon that almost seems like a chaos demon. Causes chaos... Primarily with fear. Making nightmares and such true to life..."

Doc offered a slow nod to that. "Fear?"

"That's not the half of it. It's not really feeding off of fear. It's feeding off of sanity."

"Sanity?" Sheriff questioned abruptly, Seth once more nodding.

"You've met a victim... Partial victim... Remember a truck named Kody?"

Sheriff's eyes widened, the information weighing heavy in the air. "That little blind truck that was with Stone?"

Seth could only nod to that. "Yes... The blindness was an unfortunate side effect... Kody's sanity was taken but something called a Decardian Demon. Nasty creature that can make life a living hell for any mortal... Kody was in a mental institution for a while... The truck was like a son to Stone. He couldn't handle seeing the truck locked away like he was. So in exchange for me restoring at least part of Kody's sanity Stone traded me his soul."

To Be Continued...

Uh oh... Stone traded his soul? Not a chaos demon? Sarge going nuts? Lightning out of it? And just who is Father McDillen? Yup... Tune in next chapter. Hopefully available quicker than this one...


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. From there, I don't know. I'll make it up as I go along K?

Notes: I know I know... I'm a horrible person... No updates in all this time... But! I bring you not just one part of a story but many parts of many stories! Short stories! Go read! Hope this makes up for my lack of updates? Sad eyes here Blame Seth, the little muse has not been doing his job. Writer's block and all... Anyway I feel I should put a warning in here. This story is about to get VERY dark. In some places it might actually frighten the kiddies! If you have strong opinions on certain things or are easily disturbed you might want to rethink reading on. Other than that... Rock on!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_He hated places like this... Stone growled softly as the nurse nodded in response to the ID he had given her and smiled up at him. "Thank you Mr. Stone. That's all I need." She offered and nodded in the direction of the hall that looked less like a hospital and more like a prison wing, separating it from the rest of the building by cold iron bars._

_Past the bars where only a few feet of hall way before it cut off into what looked like a vault door with a window that lead to the wing he was headed for... A special kind of wing. These patients where the ones who had been locked down. Who where dangerous to society or to themselves... Who had been tied to a bed for the rest of their lives and forgotten... That was where Kody was..._

"_Thank you." He stated simply, quietly turning away from the much to friendly nurse and making his way down the hall. The security guard at the gait let him through in a moment. He was forced to stop between gates, his pass being checked again before the vault like door was opened to the secure wing. The cells in this hall where clear double plated shatter proof glass on one side, separated into rooms. Some of them where less intense than others depending on the patient. Some looked like a hotel room with one glass wall... Others had nothing in them but the patient, the walls and floor covered in a thick white padding._

_Kody's 'room' was at the end of the hall. As many times as he had been here they still checked and double checked his pass. It took a few moments to drive down the long hall, but by memory alone he stepped infront of the cell he wanted. He paused for a moment before the door beside it opened with a soft hiss and he pulled inside. Kody was resting on the floor, his tires tucked up underneath him. His room was one of the padded ones... Nothing but Kody resided in this room._

_The little truck didn't seem to take notice of the door opening. His sightless eyes stared off into nothing, the truck rocking on his frame and lightly rapping his side against the wall. Sometimes he didn't... Sometimes it was a bad day and Stone might as well not have come at all. Most days actually. It was a rare occasion that Kody even seemed to pick up that he was even there. _

"_Hey Kodes" As per normal, the truck didn't look up. Stone wouldn't say anything more. He was there. That was what counted in his opinion. He settled down not all that far away and silently watched the truck. He came here at least once a week weather Kody knew he was there or not... Once a week, often more... he sat and watched Dakoda. Usually Dakoda didn't respond. Every now and again he would tilt his frame in Stone's direction and smile. But usually just what he was doing._

_He sat parked there for about an hour. As he always did. Sometimes if he had the time he would stay longer. But today, was an hour day. After a while he got to his tires again, moving across the room and nuzzled the truck. Kody jumped and whined in response to being touched as he always did. "I'll see you later Kodes. I'll be back." He promised silently turning to leave again._

"_Stone?" Stone froze in his tracks. As many times as he had been here Kody never spoke. He hadn't heard Kody's voice in months. He slowly turned around. Kody's blank gaze was directed at him even though the little car couldn't see him._

"_I wanna go home." The plea was soft and whispered. Tears brimmed at the edges of the little truck's eyes..._

"_I know Kody... Soon..." Stone whispered, crossing the room again to gently nuzzle the truck. It only lasted a few minutes. Kody was gone again. But far beyond the point of Kody knowing who he was... Stone sat quietly pressed against him._

"_God help me..." He whispered softly. "Bring us Kody back..."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well?"

"You know this would be a lot easier to do if you where not standing over me." Seth snipped, his eyes closed as one tire pressed against Sarge's side.

"Well if I knew what you where doing it would be a lot easier not to hoover." Doc pointed out flatly.

"I'm trying to feel his aura." Seth responded, his full attention locked on the old jeep in front of him.

"His what?" Doc and Sheriff questioned in unison.

"Aura." Seth muttered, a short pause given before the Mustang pulled back. "Which is fine surprisingly enough... A bit murky but fine. You know Sheriff if you hadn't spent over forty years ignoring us you would have been able to do that."

"Not funny Seth..." Sheriff muttered drawing a shrug from Seth.

"Of course not... The point is gentlemen that he's in there. He's just... Spaced out so to speak. Which considering what I believe we're dealing with that alone is a good sign. Now..." Seth paused as he cast a glance around the room, frown etched across his grill. "Someone needs to stand watch over him. Unfortunately because we're dealing with an immortal a mortal isn't going to do much good in this case..."

Doc and Sheriff both exchanged a worried gaze before a slow nod was given. "What do you have in mind?" Sheriff questioned, drawing a thoughtful expression from Seth. "Just an old friend..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Absolutely not!"

"Oh come on!" Ebony complained, following the shadowy figure as it stalked back and forth. "Technically you have to listen to me you know!"

"You I have to listen to but you're handing me over to Seth. Which is definitely out of the new management."

"Oh come on Ralph." Ebony growled, eyes narrowing at the shadow she was currently yelling at. This was a little disturbing to her and she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. From the time Seth had called to her and asked her to hand over one of his old shadows to now... She had been dreading this.

"Forget it."

"Hey... He could have sent you where you belong you know. He had you stay because he knew you would help me. Remember you have a judgement coming up, and in case you haven't noticed this is the kinda thing the council likes to see! Repenting."

The shadowy figure silently glared at the viper for a long moment. Unfortunately she was right...

"Look at it this way Ralph. You'll be able to be back on Earth in somewhat of a mortal body... Ya know kinda like death when one of us takes on a solid body. Besides, you'll have help."

"Who?" Ralph questioned suspicion written across his features.

"Just an old friend..."

"Who..."

Ebony sighed heavily, her gaze dropping downward. "Henry..."

"Absolutely not!"

She sighed heavily as the shadow started pacing back and forth again, moving from one side of the room to the other. She had called him into limbo. Somewhere between life and death. But for now it was starting to grate on her nerves quite a bit. "Come on Ralph. It's not that bad. We're only sending Henry down because he's someone who already has a working relationship with these people. We're sending you down frankly because we need a little bit of nasty down there..."

Ralph let out a snort and glared at her. "So why should I do it?"

Ebony smiled and shrugged. "Because it's the right thing to do... It would help me out a lot... And if you do... You might just be surprised at what happens. I mean the council will like it. I'll like it. And you know you might just find yourself suddenly at... A higher level?" Ebony offered with a smirk. "I mean... I could kinda use an assistant and if I bugged them enough they might just let me make it a shadow."

Ralph Hicks seemed to think that over for a long moment and would have rolled his eyes if he had any to roll at this point. "Alright... Fine. I'll do whatever it is you need me to do."

Ebony grinned in response and gave a sharp nod. "Excellent..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So why are we out here in the middle of the night again?" Doc questioned for the hundredth time that night.

"We're meeting someone." Seth stated simply. That was the same answer he had been giving all night. Sheriff had given up an hour ago but it seemed Doc wasn't so entirely willing.

"Alright... And is this someone going to help us with this little problem?"

"They should. They both owe me... And at least one of them definitely needs to kudos on his records."

"Did he just say kudos?" Sheriff questioned, his gaze shifting to Doc. "Forget Kudos he said they. I distinctly heard a they." Doc commented, worry crossing his features.

"Oh pipe down the both of you. It'll be fine." Seth scolded, irritable sigh let out.

Silence fell over the dessert once more, Seth silently staring up at the stars as Doc and Sheriff watched for any unexpected company. After a moment a loud crack echoed through the dessert, causing jack rabbits and other small critters to suddenly run for their lives as a light lit up the dessert almost as bright as day. Doc and Sheriff flinched and set back on their shocks, but Seth seemed to have expected it.

"Hear that? That sound that sounds like a firecracker? That's signaling a mortal soul is being pulled the wrong way through the veil by Death and being placed here in solid body." He explained over the series of cracks that ripped through the air. The noise lasted several moments more, lighting up the night sky like the fourth of July.

After a moment it finely died down, the blinding light leaving three figures on the dessert floor. One ebony form on her tires and two that looked like the bad end of a very wild Led Zeppelin concert.

"Evening fellas." Ebony greeted, a smile crossing her grill. "Say hello boys." She instructed the two that where currently laying in the dirt. Her chipper attitude was only met by a series of groans, apparently the two not exactly up for saying hello at the moment. "You'll have to excuse them. It was a bit of a wild ride being reunited with their physical bodies." She announced, a grin crossing grill once more.

"I can imagine... Are they alright?" Doc questioned, pulling into gear to check the two downed vehicles.

"Of course. Their not mortal enough to not be alright. These bodies are entirely temporary. Boys! Come on wakey wakey!" She announced, giving the two a good nudge. That at least spired them on, the crimson colored vehicle of the two the first to climb to his tires. A very familiar face! Henry offered the two a weary smile and silently nudged at his current partner in crime who was having a more difficult time of getting his tires up under him again.

Doc let out a soft gasp of shock, backing up several paces at the familiar image that got to his tires, a smile crossing grill.

"That's who's going to be watching over Sarge?"

Seth only heaved a sigh, a slow nod given. "He has reason to behave himself. He has much to repent for. Therefore for his service as a shadow it was decided he needed this chance. Besides his later years humbled him." Seth stated with a dip of his prow, full attention then turning to Ralph Hicks.

"You will behave yourself or your judgement will be instant is that clear? This is a chance to repent. To rise to a higher plane of existence. If you screw this up Ebony has assured me that your release into judgement will be instant and I don't have to tell you where you will be going..."

"Yeah yeah... I'm well aware of that." Ralph muttered, a good shake given. Dust left his hunter green hide in a cloud, the body solid enough to hold the dirt from the dessert floor.

"So... Right down to business?" Ralph questioned, almost looking hopeful at that. Seth exchanged a quick glance with Ebony then nodded slowly. "Yes. Right down to business. Come on Henry. We've got work to do."

"Take care boys. I've got to get back. The natives are restless." Ebony reported, a roll of her eyes given and was gone just as quickly as she came, leaving the small group alone in the dessert.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff I don't like this."

"I know Doc. You've told me that a dozen times at least." Sheriff commented with a somewhat exasperated sigh. "We don't have much of a choice." He muttered, as they stood outside of Sarge's home. At the doorway Seth spoke quietly to the two ex racers, gaining slow nods from the both of them. Apparently Seth hadn't exactly expected Henry. He was the idea of the council after finding that Seth planned on bringing one of his shadows to him for assistance. They had sent Henry along to keep things on the straight and narrow and possibly given him instructions of their own but for now Seth was dealing with it.

"That car was a monster in life." Doc muttered, gaze narrowing on the hunter green stock car. "Ralph Hicks should have never have been brought back. And What about Henry? Lightning doesn't remember any of what happened while he was in that coma. What is seeing his dead grandfather going to do to him? Hell what's seeing his dead father going to do to Chick? Not that there's any compassion lost for him but damn it Sheriff... Even Chick doesn't deserve that."

"I know... I know but we don't have much of a choice." Sheriff muttered softly. Henry and Ralph both turned to go into Sarge's home, taking up their places well hidden within' the building. After a moment Seth turned and returned to the street where Doc and Sheriff where waiting.

His presence was met by a patient gaze from Sheriff and an enraged one from Doc. "Seth are you entirely out of your mind? Do you have any idea who that is?"

Seth sighed heavily and nodded. "Yes Doc I know exactly who that is. I'm sorry I didn't expect the council to insist on Henry's presence. I'm a little surprised of it as a matter of fact. I guess it's because he has the ties here as well... That's important you know. Anyway I chose Ralph because despite his attitude he was always obedient and efficient as one of my shadows. From the moment I came for him he's gotten the job done. I also realize that his son is in Radiator Springs but that's not going to matter. Because I don't intend for anyone to actually see them here. Doc I need you to place this home under quarantine. Make up some illness if you have to but no one comes in or out. You don't want to start a panic."

Doc nodded slowly, gaze narrowing at the young mustang, pulling another sigh from Seth. "Doc I'm sorry. I didn't have any other choice. Death doesn't have as many connections as you may think and the only real connection I have is to my shadows." He explained slowly. "Of the shadows I had Ebony keep Ralph is the one I know I could trust to not screw this task up."

"So he sold his soul to you?" Sheriff questioned, an eye ridge lifting in surprise. "Yep. Tried to sell it to me twice. Didn't work out so well."

That gained a surprised look from the both of them, Seth giving a roll of his eyes as he went on. "He traded me his soul for a successful racing career. He was coming in last place every time. I gave him speed. He gave me his servitude. Years later he tried to call me again when his wife fell ill. I told him that was now his problem. I think he blamed that little announcement on his youngest child. His wife had a very difficult time bringing him into the world. Her health failed steadily after that." Seth explained with a shrug. "Before that he was actually a decent car you know. I think something in him snapped..."

"I don't ever remember him being a decent car." Doc mused, gaining a chuckle from Seth.

"I meant off track. No he was a mean son of a gun on track. But he was never that harsh to his family until his wife fell ill. He took his frustration out on his youngest." He explained with a nod.

Doc seemed to think on that for a long moment before attention once more turned to Seth. "Who was the youngest?"

"Chick"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_I summon thee"_

_Stone narrowed his eyes as he gazed into the darkness, the flickering candles around him not doing much to ease his troubled mind. On the floor simple shapes drawn in salt... He wasn't sure if this was actually needed or not but if it worked, it worked..._

"_I summon Death to me. So that a bargain might be made. I summon thee." He repeated, chanting softly what was written down in the books he had picked up. It was desperation that drove him to do this. Nothing else seemed to work... Nothing at all. _

_Now this was what he had been driven to. He had drawn the images that where represented in chalk... Then a circle in salt that would contain Death... Now... He could only wait._

"_Come to me!" A growl that time. He was starting to get a little frustrated. He was so sure it would work. Though the result was instant. A loud pop echoed through the room as a bright pinpoint of light lit up the room brighter than daylight. It flooded Stone's senses for a moment before dulling out and leaving behind a black shape that slowly seemed to focus itself into a car. A low set Mustang..._

_Stone paused for a long moment staring at the little car with crimson eyes at a loss for words... The thought that he was staring death in the face crept through his frame and right into his engine._

"_You rang?" The Mustang questioned, tilting on it's frame, features set in silent irritation._

"_Yes... I would like to make a bargain." Stone stated simply, getting right to the point. The books had warned him of that. Warned him that death had little patients. That if he was going to do this he needed to get right to the point immediately and stick to the point at all costs. That he should state what he wanted clearly and make sure that it could not be taken any other way than what he meant for it to mean._

"_Very well. What do you have to trade?" The Mustang questioned, slow smile crossing grill._

_Stone gave a hard swallow and let out a ragged sigh. There was only one thing that Death would want. "Me. My soul. In exchange give Dakoda his sanity back." Stone stated simply, pulling a thoughtful look from the black car._

"_I cannot return it all to him. He is the victim of a much stronger power. But that is not truly what you want now is it? You want him to come home. That is your desperation."_

_Stone gave a blink and nodded slowly. "I'll take Kody... In whatever way Kody is. If you can not make him the way he was. At least make it so that he can come home. Sane enough to live with us and not in the mental institute."_

_Seth tilted on his frame again and nodded slowly. "For that... Your soul."_

_The truck gave a quick nod. Yes, for that he understood what was at stake._

"_Very well... Selling your soul for another... That's not something that comes around often." The Mustang commented. Stone gave a blink in response and in that short moment the car was gone..._

_He wondered for a moment if he was even there at all. The room was silent for a long moment as Stone slowly started across the room, not entirely sure where to go from there. Fortunately that was answered for him in the form of the phone ringing. Answer the phone first... A simple task._

"_Hello?" He muttered into the phone as he hit the connect, a blink of surprise given at the number that flashed across the caller ID. It was the hospital._

"_Mr. Jesse Stone?"_

"_That would be me..." He answered to the high pitched voice that always made his paint crawl. Kody's doctor._

"_Mr. Stone there's been a change."_

"_What kind of change? Is Kody alright?" Stone demanded, his mind instantly flickering to what had just happened._

"_Yes Mr. Stone... Which is the surprising part. I've never seen anything like this... He seems to have come around a bit. He's asking for you."_

_Stone stared at the wall in shock, unable to grasp what had just been said. The words Kody had spoken the other day had been the first in months... Now he was asking for Stone? He gave a hard swallow as he turned around, staring at the shapes and candles arranged on the floor._

"_Mr. Stone?"_

_The voice shook him out of his thoughts. "Yes Doctor... I'll be right there." He stated quickly, hitting the disconnect. He stared at the room a moment longer. Somewhere in his fuel pump he felt something tighten just a bit. As if someone had taken a hold of something inside of him and given it a good squeeze._

"_Remember our agreement." The disembodied, whispered voice seemed to be everywhere as Stone set back just a bit. "Your mine now..."_

_True enough. Stone's soul was no longer his own... His death would put him in the service of Death..._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Lightning?" Lightning let out a soft groan as he opened his eyes to bright sunlight coming in through the windows of Doc's clinic. The sharp pain radiating through his hood seemed to heighten just a bit at the sight.

"Lightning? I'm gonna let you go back to sleep in a moment. But I need to test a few things. I need you to spin your tires for me one at a time alright?" That was Doc's voice. He was sure of it. Why would he ask him to do something like that. It didn't matter much. He grunted softly, a bit distressed to find he was on the lift. No matter though. He slowly spun each tire one at a time, and gave a slight stretch for good measure, flinch crossing his features as something pulled.

"Take it easy Lightning. Are you in any pain?"

"My hood hurts..." He responded, eyes narrowing. "Somebody turn off the sun." He muttered. To his surprise someone did turn off the sun. It suddenly became much darker. Though a moment later he realized that little fact was just because Doc had pulled the blinds leaving only the light he needed to see what he was doing.

"What happened?" Lightning questioned, that groggy haze beginning to clear just a bit.

"You rehurt yourself. You remember pinning Sarge?"

Lightning groaned softly and nodded.

"Fortunately it's not to bad... Its going to set back your training a bit but it'll be alright."

Lightning nodded slowly as Doc silently lowered him down from the lift, a flinch crossing his features as his tires touched the ground again. Pain shot through his side, but he managed to stay upright as Doc gently nudged his side. "Go on back to your room and get some sleep. The pain killers I gave you should be taking effect soon and it'll make you groggy anyway."

Lightning nodded a bit and offered a smile silently rolling back through the halls. "Thanks Doc"

"Any time Lightning."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Still overcast... It was starting to become depressing. Sally quietly stared out over the plains as out in the distance a lone coyote made it's feelings clear, voice raising up over the quiet landscape. It seemed the 'yote was as lonely as she was. She swallowed hard, the sports car quietly wishing things would go back to the way they where already...

She and Lightning had taken to going for slow drives up the mountains. It had been Doc that suggested it. Said it was good exercise. He encouraged them to travel far and rest when Lightning grew tired. She noted that it had been the best thing for both of them. It was good for them to get away and just drive. After a couple weeks of the long drives, Lightning had to stop less and less... Doc was a wise car. Lightning had quickly developed into her best friend. She could tell him anything and she felt vice versa. It had also helped in his training. By the time Doc was ready to start training Lightning for the next season, Lightning was ready to keep up. He had his stamina back.

She hadn't expected this... The start of the season was in one short month... It was already going honestly enough but he could push it to next month without pushing to much into the points that would build for the next Piston Cup. She wasn't entirely sure he could make that deadline now...

The 'yote howled again. She really knew how it felt...

"Ms. Sally?" The voice was soft but it still startled her. She whipped around, a short gasp taken in when she spotted Seth parked not all that far away.

She blinked for a long moment, seeming to try and place him. She knew there was something she should remember about him. Something that her mind wouldn't wrap around. There was something special about him wasn't there?

"Evening Seth." She greeted softly, a smile crossing her grill. "How's your father?"

Seth blinked for a moment, seeming a bit taken back at that, though after a moment he simply shrugged. "He's alright. A little tired these days." A sad edge to that? As if hoping she would remember something maybe?

"How are you this evening?"

Sally shrugged off that nagging feeling, her mind falling to a comfort zone. She remembered Seth. When she had first come to Radiator Springs, Sheriff introduced them. Seth was quiet. Didn't really talk to anyone. But he was nice enough.

"Lonely." She admitted quietly, her gaze shifting back across the dessert. "I wish Lightning where here."

"He'll be alright Miss Sally." Seth offered quietly, seeming a bit out of sorts. Probably was. Wasn't use to offering comfort...

"I know... But I still miss him. I'm worried for him to. For him... For his career..." Sally offered, a light sigh given. "Don't take me the wrong way Seth. Mostly for him. But his career is important to him to." She explained, an idle shrug given. She would take Lightning any way he was. Though he loved the thrill of racing... She would never want him to loose that.

"He'll be fine Miss Sally." Seth insisted again, a nod given. "Lightning and his career. We just need to keep..." The Mustang faded off, tilting briefly to the side with a deep frown. Something was wrong...

"Miss Sally?" Sally offered a questioning look, not entirely understanding. The Mustang was suddenly serious... He pulled forward up to the ledge she was parked over, his gaze searching the ravine floor.

"What is it Seth?" She questioned, concern touching her smooth voice. Seth gave a slow shake of his grill, for a moment a frown etched across his features. "I don't know yet..." He muttered softly. "Do you smell that?"

Sally frowned, her grill lifting a bit and breathed in. It was... Faint... Very faint... But she thought... Rusting metal? No... Death...

Her eyes widened a bit as she exchanged a quick look with Seth. He let out a grunt and silently pulled off the slope they where parked on and further down into the ravine. Down here it was stronger. Sally followed, balking briefly as that smell hit her. It churned her fuel tank even as she followed Seth to where it seemed to grow stronger. The wind changed... It was like a slap to the face...

The scent was strong down here. If it affected Seth as it affected Sally he certainly didn't show it. While she visibly paled, he simply followed it. Frown etched across his grill as he approached a small gully, the ditch dropping down under a small rock ledge to form a sort of cave. He dropped down into the ditch, peering into the darkness. After a moment he clicked his headlights on. Sally let out a sharp gasp as light filled the cave. In the center a hulking shape sat, silent as the grave. A black Sedan style vehicle... A simple cross etched on his side...

"That's Father McDillen!" Sally blurted out, backing up quickly out of the ditch. Seth cursed softly and clicked off his lights, quickly turning on the terrified sports car. "Sally, get the Sheriff." He ordered simply. She stared at him for a moment, unable to grasp around what she had been ordered to do.

"Now Sally! Go get the Sheriff!" Seth barked, then paused, seeming to rethink that. "Sally please. Go find my Dad and bring him here." He stated, forcing the pain that should be in his voice from seeing his first dead body. He had to remind himself... He wasn't Death anymore.

His 'pain' seemed to snap her out of her shock. She nodded and hurried out of the ravine, a dust cloud kicked up with a shriek of tires as soon as she was on more stable ground.

Seth swallowed hard and slowly turned his attention back to the body of the late priest... He had been in town just that morning. They had all seen him... He already knew this body had been here for days... Thunder ripped across the sky and he could almost hear the crackle of laughter...

"Damn you..." He muttered, gaze narrowing as he could almost feel the electrical charge of the demon. He already knew who was responsible for this... He slowly let himself down into the cave, cringing at the scent of death he had never been able to take in before. He had to know...

Why hadn't Ebony warned them that the priest in town wasn't what he said he was? Why hadn't she been able to detect this death?

He swallowed hard not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer. However, he had to...

He laid a tire against the priest's side. "Show me..." He whispered softly, eyes closing. Flashes of images blared by his vision faster than he could keep up with. Flashes of a demon... A familiar demon... Dread dropped into the pit of his fuel tank like a lead ball. As well as something he had never felt before... Terror... Grief... Pain...

He reeled back, shock crossing his features. He was afraid of this demon... Terrified of it... Something he had never felt before. He could feel the icy cold grip of terror crawling through him like a living thing.

Seth panted heavily as he stared at the body in front of him. The priest's lifeless eyes stared right back, paled and clear in death. They seemed to scream at him 'you couldn't protect me.' Seth closed his eyes tightly, trying to block the sight but it remained. It was etched and burned into his memory and he doubted it would ever give him peace.

Grief... This priest... His soul was gone. Torn from his body... Ripped to ribbons and retied into something the demon could work with. His memories... His faith... All fodder to the fire. The demon had stolen it all. Devoured it like some... Feast of plenty... There had certainly been enough of it. At just a touch he could feel the echoes of the priest's faith. He could feel the brilliant light that had been his soul... It was gone... The beast had taken it... That was why Ebony hadn't been able to sense it. He had not crossed over... He was truly gone...

The demon had taken it... No... Not a demon... Demon's couldn't do this. They didn't have the power. Not to this extent. Something much worse...

Tears sprang to his eyes as he trembled, backing up until he huddled in a far corner of the cave. The beast had taken the soul of a priest... How could that have been allowed to happen?It hadn't even worked anyway... The beast had already known Seth wouldn't travel with that priest... The demon had taken his soul for amusement purposes...

The laughter rolled through the valley like rolling thunder...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have left him!" Sally was close to tears as watched the scene unfold before her. Sheriff had Seth pinned against the wall of the cave. Doc was trying desperatly to give him something to sedate him. Behind Sally Mater paced back and forth, the little truck whining frantically. He hadn't been happy about having to drag the body out of the ravine... But seeing Seth like this... He looked as close to tears as Sally felt.

Sheriff wanted to comfort the both of them. However, at the moment he had his tires full. Seth was in a full panic. When they found him he had been curled at one side of the cave, staring at the body of the priest. Sheriff had approached slowly, speaking softly to him, but Seth didn't seem to hear. It was when they tried to cover the body that he had gone off. He didn't seem to know who they where. The fury that had been unleashed as he protected the body had thrown both Sheriff and Doc for a loop.

The patrol car couldn't see where he was upset for any reason Sally thought... The car had been Death for God's sake! However, the fact that something had the little car disturbed was very obvious. A screech of pain and fury was let out of the Mustang, suggesting that Doc had hit home with the sedative. However, rather than knocking him out it seemed to only add fuel to the fire that was Seth. Sheriff flinched as his side panel crashed into Seth once more. The Mustang was strong...

"Seth!" He yelled, trying once more to get through to him. "Seth look at me!" The Mustang briefly complied. His gaze swept over, those burning amber eyes locking with the friendly brown eyes that where the Sheriff's.

"Seth... It's alright. I'm here." He soothed, speaking softly as if talking to a child. "Whatever it is it's alright." He soothed. To his surprise, Seth let out a pained whimper and sank to the ground, pressing against the side of the older patrol car. Doc, shot a puzzled gaze in Sheriff's direction but didn't comment. The car was shaking, desperate cries of pain and grief wracking through his form. Sheriff for a moment held a look of mixed bewilderment and concern, slowly sinking to the ground beside Seth. He quietly attempted to sooth the hysterical car, gesturing for Doc to back off a bit. Doc quickly backed up, his concerned look flying from Seth to Sally.

Sally bit her lower lip hard, tears trailing down either side of her hood. "It's not your fault Sally." Doc assured her gently. "Trust me when I say no one could have expected this."

Sally nodded but didn't look entirely reassured. She turned her concerned gaze back to the two dark colored vehicles huddled on the ground. Only then did Doc realize Seth was saying something. Something about souls...

"Sheriff?" Doc questioned softly, gaining a pained look from Sheriff.

"They took it..." Seth was whispering over and over.

"Seth... What did they take? What's wrong?" Sheriff whispered softly, a parental tone taken on.

"The beast... He killed the priest. He's gone..." Seth muttered, gaining a slow nod from the Sheriff. That shouldn't have Seth acting this way... He knew what happened after death didn't he?

"Seth... He's gone on to-"

"No he hasn't!" Seth was up in an instant, that desperate cry throwing his gaze back to the body that was now covered in an old army tarp they had picked up from Sarge's Surplus hut. "The demon took it..."

"Took what?" Doc questioned softly.

"His soul..." The words where whispered so softly they where almost lost in the falling night. Shock pulled a heavy silence down onto them. "He ripped it from him... Twisted it and tore it from the priest... He devoured the soul of a priest!" Seth yelled into the falling night, seeming to let grief take over. Though instead of the crazed hysterics, this time he sank to the ground.

"He's gone..." He whispered again, a slow shake of his grill given.

That simply ebbed on the shock. This body wasn't just dead... The soul attached had been snuffed out...

The laughter still rolled like thunder...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How is he?" Sheriff had stopped his nervous pacing once Doc pulled out of the old supply room that now served as Seth's room in the police station. Doc sighed softly and gave a slow nod. "Resting. I've sedated him pretty heavily. He shouldn't wake up for the rest of the night. If he does it's important that he stay in here." Doc pointed out, a slow nod given.

Sheriff sighed and nodded his agreement. "Right... Right... What did you do with..."

"The morgue... Had to clean the place out a bit but I put the priest's body there. Ralph and Henry are still guarding Sarge... They say nothing's tried to get in both mortal and immortal."

Sheriff nodded slowly a heavy sigh drawn out. "I think I'm a little out of my realm here Doc. I don't know how to move on with this. On one tire we have a murder. On the other, there's no weapon, no suspect that's actually alive, and I don't think 'a demon stole his soul' will stand up to convict." Sheriff muttered, drawing a slow nod from Doc.

"I don't know Sheriff... I called the Vatican. I told them what's going on. Warned them not to send anyone out. We don't need another death. They agreed after a little persuasion. I suppose we send the body to them and let them figure all this out..."

"I still don't like it Doc... There's somethin' goin' on here that I-"

"Sheriff?" The voice was soft, startling the both of them as they whipped around. Ebony bit at her lower lip, a sorrowful look crossing her features. "I heard... Well I just heard. How is he?" She questioned softly. Neither vehicle had any question who she was talking about.

"Not well Ebony." Doc told her honestly, a soft sigh let out. "What can you tell us?"

Ebony was quiet for a long moment as she stared at the ground. "Not much I'm afraid... I don't know what happened to the priest. He never crossed my path... If what Seth is saying is true... Then there's a reason for that. I imagine it was..." She shuddered and sighed heavily.

"You know this puts a whole new level to things right? Only certain demons have that kind of power. None of which you want to deal with..."

Sheriff and Doc exchanged a slow look and nodded. That... Didn't sound good.

"So exactly what are we dealing with?" It was Doc that asked the question they where afraid to know the answer to.

"It sounds like it's either a rogue or someone's a little power hungry." The group snatched around, Seth quietly staring back at them from the doorway of his room, looking dishevel but none the worse for the wear.

"Seth you should be resting." Doc scolded gently, pulling a sigh from Seth. "I'll rest when all this is done... Doc... This could be bigger than even I know how to handle..." He muttered softly and shot Ebony a somewhat pained look.

"Ebony... The priest's soul was torn away... It wasn't just absorbed... It wasn't captured... He's gone..."

Her eyes widened the shock clearly written across her features. "Are you sure?"

"Positive..."

She let out a frightened whimper, backing up a bit as Seth quietly entered the room.

"What we're dealing with here is something that can move on both sides of the realm. Life and Death... Heaven and Hell... Can slip in and out of the limbo..."

"What has the ability to do that?" Sheriff questioned. Ebony and Seth exchanged a long glance... "Death..." They both stated in unison.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Fire... It was everywhere..._

_There wasn__'t a building in town that wasn't burning..._

_The Cozy Cone was gone..._

_So was Doc's clinic but he wouldn't notice. Doc himself was gone. Massive engine failure only a few days before... A good thing maybe... It would have killed the old car to see the destruction of his home now..._

_When the fire hit Flo's Café the whole damn thing had gone up..._

_Somewhere in the chaos... There was laughter. Deep laughter like rolling thunder._

_In the middle of the chaos was a black Roadster... Flames etched up across his ebon finish._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doc snatched awake, the loud blast of Red's siren snatching him from his troubled sleep. No... Not the blast.

Something else had woken him up. He wasn't entirely sure what...

He blinked and glanced at the digital clock beside his bed. Just after midnight...

He let out a soft groan and got to his tires, a stretch given. He needed to see what was up. When the second blast hit him, it almost floored him... Not Red's siren that woke him up...

He blinked slowly as the room around him began to swim... A pain stabbed through his engine, deep and sharp. It seemed to radiate through his tires and frame...

For an insane moment he thought he was falling. All his medical knowledge went out the window... The third wave brought him right back to attention.

"Lightning!" The call was pained, and desperate. It was difficult to pull air in through his filters. His engine felt way to tight. His fuel pump hammered under his hood. He heard Lightning's engine somewhere in the clinic. It was coming closer.

The last thing that registered was a flash of red as Lightning came into his room before the darkness once more overtook him.


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I don't own Cars. Pixar does. Don't sue me! I have no money. I love you guys ya know! Don't sue someone who loves you greatly!_

_Notes: Whooo boy... (Ducks out of the way of bricks being thrown) I would just like to say at this point... I'm sorry. This was suppose to be the last chapter... But I just couldn't resist... Also it was getting to dang long. This chapter... Needs warnings... If you have a big problem with suicide stop reading now. If you have a problem with character death (Like death is the end of a character in this story...) Stop reading now. If you have a problem with VERY dark settings and content... By all means stop reading now. If not... Enjoy and rock on! The final up soon I hope! Enjoy!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Death is only an horizon, and an horizon is only the limit of our sight. Open our eyes to see more clearly. - William Penn_

_Never knock on death's door. Ring the bell and run away. Death hates that. - Matt Frewer_

_Seth: Yes I do! Creepy little mortals..._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

A dead silence had fallen over Radiator Springs. The entire town sat quietly at Flo's café as the ambulance pulled away from Doc's clinic, their town doctor safely tucked away inside. It was only a few moments before Sheriff's sirens clicked on and he followed closely behind, the flashing lights of the two emergency vehicles cutting through the otherwise dark dessert as they hurried out of Ornament Valley and to the interstate that would take them the twenty minute drive to the next city over and to a hospital that could help them...

The call had been made instantly... Lightning had been fast on his tires once Doc called him. He hadn't bothered with the phones and went right for the radio that Doc kept in his office to keep in contact with Sheriff. Sheriff was his first choice of who to call. It had been a good call... Sheriff had been on his way home and upon getting the call had quickly diverted to Doc's clinic... From there they had called in an ambulance. Moved as fast as they could...

Now all they could do was stare as the Ambulance and the Sheriff slowly disappeared into the distance.

"Well... I think maybe we should all get some sleep... There's nothing more we can do here tonight." The voice was Flo's. However, no one seemed to hear it. Even she didn't move as the stunned silence seemed to fall over the town like a heavy blanket.

"Hey..." The voice was Chick's. That somewhat brought on the attention of those gathered. "Ya know... If you all get some sleep now you'll be able to drive out and see him in the morning..." He pointed out quietly. That brought on another shock from the town, his tone honestly gentle and understanding. Not exactly Chick like behavior but it seemed to work. The gathered vehicles slowly disburse, heading off in their own directions.

"Lightning!" Lightning paused on his way back to the clinic, silently turning around as Flo called him down.

"You come stay with me and Ramone hunny. Doc would have my headlights if anything happened to you in the night. I know you're still hurtin'." Lightning seemed somewhat grateful for the invitation, silently diverting his path and following the older car, tagging along close behind.

Mater silently made his way up the street to his junk yard. Chick watched as he silently curled up in his little home not another peep coming from him.

Fillmore sighed heavily and slowly made his way back towards Sarge's home, the vehicle determined not to leave his friend for long.

Luigi and Guido remained on the street a few moments more before silently heading off in their own directions. Sally almost seemed shell shocked as she stood in the street. Chick silently watched the little sports car until Flo returned to the street and silently pushed her towards the direction She, Ramone, and Lightning had gone only a few minutes before.

Red sat parked for a long while in the street, silently listening for the sirens. After a moment he quietly moved off towards the court house, his home just behind it, the fire engine looking the image of misery.

Lizzy was next. Slowly moving off towards her little shop and parking on the porch, staring off down the road.

Chick tilted on his frame for a long moment as the last citizen of the little town sat parked under the street light. He swallowed hard and silently rolled forward, slowly approaching the little black Mustang. Seth stared off into the distance, a strange look etched across his features.

"Will he live?" Chick questioned flatly. He knew him... The second he saw him he knew him. Seth silently turned around to face Chick, that strange look turning to one that briefly flickered pain. "I don't know Chick." He answered honestly. Chick gave a slow nod as he silently glanced down the street in the direction the ambulance had gone, a pang of... Something hitting him. He barely knew these people... So why did he find himself muttering a silent prayer to let the old car live?

He silently shifted his gaze to the Mustang an old memory touching his mind as he watched the black car. He remembered standing in the doorway of his bedroom... Just a little sprat back then. He remembered a black Mustang smiling at him. Whispering to him that it was alright. To go back to bed... He had thought it to be a dream...

"She was ready to go." The Mustang's soft voice shook him from his thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

Seth chuckled softly. "I know you know me Chick. Your mother. She was ready to go. She had lived her life... She watches you now... She's proud of you." He muttered, that quirk of a smile that Chick remembered from way back then crossing his grill. "Maybe not proud of everything you do mind you. However... Of you she's proud. You and your siblings."

Chick fell to a heavy silence, not entirely sure what to say. His mind screamed at him to get the hell away from this crazy car. However... He already knew who he was...

"I use to ask all my charges what their favorite thing about life was. She told me... Her family. She passed through judgement very quickly. She was a good car." He explained softly. That... Brought an amount of comfort to the old racer.

"What about my father?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know... But he had to.

Seth could only smile briefly. "He has... Much to make up for in this life." Seth answered simply. "But you don't need to be afraid. You don't have to be afraid at night." Seth offered in a soothing tone.

Chick sighed softly, a slow nod given as he cast his gaze out across the dessert. "You should get some sleep." Seth commented softly.

"So should you." Chick countered. However, to his surprise Seth slowly gave a shudder.

"Are you... Afraid to be on your own?" Chick questioned slowly. Seth leveled a bitter look in his direction, though after a moment it faded. "Sheriff has always been here before." Seth commented after a moment, casting his gaze down the street again.

It wasn't as if he feared death... Hell he was Death... But he had never thought the silence would be so heavy. He hadn't even thought of how much he had started to depend on Sheriff to talk to. To explain things to. To enlighten his opinion... To look up to...

Like a parent... The realization was more than a little disturbing. Seth sighed heavily and shrugged it off. "I need to get back to the station. That's where Sheriff will be calling later." He muttered, silently turning and heading in that direction.

"Hey Seth!" Seth paused as Chick caught up to him. "Need some company?"

Seth could only smile and nodded, silently letting the stock car pass him and head for the Station. He couldn't even describe the gratitude in that...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is bogus!" The silver BMW mearly quirked an eye ridge at the Viper's outburst. He didn't move as the bundle of papers hit him and flew in every direction, his irritation with the viper unseen if it was even there.

"It is not your position to question Ebony. You are a guide. Nothing more, nothing less. It is your job to guide to the afterlife. You have placed yourself to much into the lives of these people. It is not your job to help these people. This is not anything we could have foreseen."

"Oh don't give me that! I know as well as you do that you can foresee anything you damn well please."

"Ebony you are way out of line..." The BMW started, but Ebony was having none of it.

"I'm out of line? We screwed up! The afterlife screwed up! An immortal is mortal, there's a rogue down there causing all kinds of trouble, and because of all this you give me this damn assignment well I'm not doing it!" She yelled, though her raised tones where only met with the annoyingly calm features of the head angel. She supposed this wasn't the first time an angel of death had yelled at him... They where a loud bunch when it came down to it...

"Alright... Fine! I'll go over your head if I have to!" She screamed at him, turning on a tire and storming off. The head angel could only give a slow shake of his grill. She would learn...

Ebony stormed down the halls in a huff, pushing her way past various immortals. It was amazing how things never seemed to slow down up here. Always someone going somewhere and there always seemed to be an endless motion though amazingly very little noise. She ignored the lot of them. They where not where she was wanting to go... There where other immortals way over the head of their dimensional pull... There where other immortals on other sides of the veil that would be more than willing to listen to her rant and she knew it... Rather at least hoped... Those people where her friends... She could feel that something had happened tonight. She could feel Seth's pain as strongly as if it where her own. She could also feel the pull of a new charge... Doc... He was on her lists...

The crowd in the halls began to thin out as she went deeper into the depths of what was the halls of judgement. The massive archways towered over her, causing the viper to cringe a bit, suddenly feeling very small... She wasn't going to back down now... She silently trudged on, suddenly wishing for the throngs of vehicles pushing from here to there...

Her small frame stopped at the massive doors that led out of their veil... That was a huge step... To her knowledge not even Seth had been past those doors. Their orders came from their head angel and occasionally from the creator... The creator occasionally came through those doors... She also knew vehicles that went through them frequently for whatever reasons... However, one of those vehicles was not her. She swallowed hard and abruptly changed course. Maybe there was another way to take first...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

He hated hospitals... Sheriff flinched as he sat in an otherwise deserted waiting room, staring at a blank, white wall. He hated hospitals... He remembered another time like this. Just a few short months ago he had sat with the rest of Radiator Springs when Lightning had been hurt in his accident. Tonight was different. Doc was sick. His best friend had just suffered engine failure... He hated hospitals... The air smelled like disinfectant... Doc's clinic never smelled that way. The entire place was sterile and spotless but it never smelled like disinfectant. Had he mentioned the fact he hated hospitals?

"Sheriff Carson?" His attention pulled away from the morbid thoughts of that white wash wall and directed his attention to the speaker. A young Nisan sat parked not all that far away. Small and stream line as youth tended to be these days... He wore the plane matte finish colors of a medical student.

"My name is Doctor Dorion. Your friend is stable but he's not out of the woods yet. We're going to keep a close watch on him through the night." He explained softly, gaining a slow nod from Sheriff.

"You can come see him if you want. Then I would suggest you going home and getting some sleep." The doctor advised, gaining another nod from Sheriff. It more than likely wouldn't be headed.

The hallway leading to the rooms was just as depressing as the waiting room... Though back here they didn't even try to make it seem more appeasable. In the waiting room the walls where lined with pictures and chipper plants dotted the corners. Back here the walls where a stark white, as was the floor... The only thing that even remotely broke up the harsh walls where the wooden doors lining them...

It seemed to take forever before the doctor stopped driving and nodded to a door before moving on himself again... Sheriff was left alone to go inside.

The sight surprised him... Even though he was expecting it... It still surprised him. Doc was pale where he lay. His normal high gloss finish dull... Tubes and wires snaked out from underneath his hood...

"Doc?" Sheriff was shocked at the sound of his own choked whisper. Seeing his best friend in such a state... Hurt... That was a pain he didn't feel would ever truly go away.

Doc slowly cracked an eye open to look at him, brief smile crossing grill before it was gone again. "What..." Voice faded off but Sheriff got the meaning alright.

"Engine Failure... Do you remember anything?"

"Think... Light..."

"Yeah. Lightning called me. He saved your life ya know." Sheriff explained gently, smile crossing his ageing grill.

"May... Eb..."

Sheriff froze at that. Ebony was here? Why hadn't he known about it? He shot a glance around the room, glaring at the empty space. She was NOT taking him! Maybe he couldn't see her because Doc was to close a friend... Like a brother to him... It didn't matter. "No Doc. You need to stay here with us. Don't go with Ebony. Stay here." He pleaded, though to his surprise Doc gave a slow shake of his grill.

"Eb... Coun..."

He thought he had that... Doc's speech was getting choppier. "Ebony was here?" A weak nod. "She's going to speak to the council?" Another weak nod. That was something... Death was... On their side. That was definitely something... He felt better about that. Ebony would only allow Doc to cross over if there was absolutely no other way. That was comforting somehow.

"Doc... Did Ebony say anything else?" Sheriff questioned. He hated to do that... Doc sounded so weak... But he needed to know.

"Eb... Troub... Boss..."

Ebony was in trouble? With her boss? That wasn't good. "Ok... I'll see what I can find out. You get some sleep ok?"

Doc nodded weakly, the old car letting out a deep sigh as he was pulled under by the medications again.

Sheriff sighed softly and slowly backed out of the room to leave his friend in peace. He needed to call someone from Radiator Springs and offer an update. Things where going from bad to worse quickly... If this was someone's idea of a horrible joke... Death hadn't yet seen what the hell a medium could do...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There had never been a night so long... Even in death there had never been a night so long. He was sure of it. Seth stared through the dusty glass of the station window as he had been doing for the past several hours. So long that as he watched the sun slowly began to pour the first few rays of light across the street. He could hear Chick moving around behind him... The stock car had gotten about as much asleep as he had though he had a feeling it was for different reasons...

Perhaps the nerves of being in the presence of someone he knew to be death... Perhaps something else... Seth couldn't explain that anymore than he could explain his own mortality.

"What is it like to grow old?" Seth questioned softly, breaking the silence that had drug on for hours.

"It kinda slips up on ya." Chick commented as if that wasn't the strangest thing that had ever been asked... "One day you're boppin' around... Happy as a clam... Young and 'cool' as they say now a days... You feel you can take on the world. Then one day you look in the mirror... Your paint is a little duller... There's flecks of rust around your fenders... That's about the point you realize just how tired you are and how much you squeak when you drive when you never did before. You never see it comin'."

"A silent stalker..." Seth mused softly. "Like Death..."

"Yeah well that's the next thing... So yeah I guess you can say it's Death creepin' up on ya."

"How very metaphoric." Seth mused softly.

"What's it like? Ya know to be death..." Chick questioned, silently pulling up so that he was parked beside Seth.

"Very lonely. Very quiet. Death is the most hated angel among the other side."

Chick nodded slowly. Unfortunately... That made sense...

"Stay here if you like." Seth suddenly muttered. "Sheriff keeps some of that... Folgers oil in the cabinet if you want it. There are a few things I need to see to..." Seth muttered softly pulling a nod from Chick.

It didn't matter if Seth was alive or not. He still could creep in and out as if a ghost...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I don't like this..."

"So you've been sayin'." Ralph muttered softly, eyes closed to block out the image of Henry pacing nervously back and forth. This was something that he had been up to for the past hour or so... The steady pacing was grating on his nerves... He was starting to think his eternal punishment was starting now... Hell couldn't be this irritating...

"I mean what are we guarding against?"

"Death I think." Ralph responded, an idle shrug given.

"Hey man you need to chill out. Try some of my home made organic-"

"For the last time Fillmore... I don't need fuel!"

Ralph did open an eye at that. Smirk crossed his grill, the first signs of that familiar temper that Henry could possess showing through as Fillmore quickly backed off.

"Now there's the race car I remember." Ralph commented, soft snicker let out.

Henry's furious glare was promptly turned to Ralph. He opened his mouth to speak, but didn't get far as Seth's voice abruptly rang out, silencing to two. "That's enough! For the sake of the creator himself I can't leave you two alone for ten minutes without you trying to rip each other's exhausts out..." Seth scolded with an exasperated sigh.

Both former race cars turned their gaze for the time to Seth. "Mornin' Boss. How's the home front?" Ralph drew out, stretching as he slowly got to his tires.

"Don't call me boss Ralph... And it's just fine. There where events of last night that have made things... Troubling..." Seth mused, silently moving across the room to gaze at the sleeping Sarge. By now he was entirely catatonic. His blank gaze stared into nothing... Every now and again he would murmur a name. People and places that he had once known. He was advanced... Very advanced. He had never seen anything this severe... This rogue Death was taking on the symptoms of demons... From eating souls, to purging the sanity from the mind... It was disturbing.

"Right... Doc had an episode of engine failure... Fillmore told us. How is he?" Henry questioned, quietly coming up beside Seth.

"Sheriff called about an hour ago... Doc's stable but not out of the woods as he put it. He talked to him for a moment. His speech was very choppy and it was difficult to get a clear image of what he was saying." Seth mused.

"Not one for candy coating the truth are ya." Henry commented, a touch of a smile crossing his grill.

"What would be the point of that Henry? Facts are facts." Seth stated simply and backed away, his gaze settling onto where Fillmore was parked off to the side, one tire twitching nervously. "Your friend will live Fillmore. We will do everything we can to see that he keeps his mind in the process." Seth promised simply, drawing a slow nod from the old VW bus.

Seth's gaze then slid over to the two stock cars, keeping a vigil over the army jeep. "You two keep an eye on him. Watch out for anything... Strange." He stated flatly, drawing another round of nods as he pulled out of Sarge's home. The street was dead quiet... Light filtered down the street, lighting up the fronts of the stores but the town itself remained for the most part silent. The stores remained closed and dark... An oddity... To say the least... Though this early in the morning hardly surprising.

He stood in the silent street for several long minutes before he caught sight of something stirring near Flo's café. His idling engine roared for a moment as he made his way down the street and silently pulled into the café, his gaze shifting slowly across the small business for that bit of movement. Nothing... It was quiet. Odd...

He paused at the ancient neon signs just outside the main building, his gaze sweeping around the café. Nothing... "Flo?" He called out into the silent morning light but only silence greeted him. Even the birds hadn't bothered to wake up this early in the morning...

Movement again... This time just on the edge of his vision, flickering back behind Luigi's tire shop. Low growl left Seth as he crept forward. Something wasn't right... Daylight played across the silent streets, before shadows melted over the asphalt, overpowering light as a cloud bank rolled in. Thunder rolled across the dessert, pulling long with it another growl from the Mustang...

Again that shadow... Just out of his range of vision... This time flickering around the court house. "Alright... If this is a death shadow it's no where in the realm of being funny. Show yourself!" He yelled, one tire lifting on the ground and stomping in a brief show of temper. He had been death... He knew very little fear, but of life... Though he had always been known to have a little bit of a temper.

His gaze swept quickly as the shadow seemed to flicker once more just out of his range of vision, this time attempting to catch it. Vision chased the flicker of darkness to where it disappeared around the hotel. "Gotcha this time." He muttered, pulling into drive and quickly following. The shadow was just ahead of him...

It seemed to flicker through one of the cone huts and back into the thick underbrush surrounding the area, disappearing into the darkness that was acquired beneath the shelter of trees. Seth charged on after it, bumper low to the ground as he hopped a fallen log to continue on down the trail.

Again that flicker... It taunted him. Led him on down the path to... Where? For the first time a brief edge of fear cut its way into Seth's mind. The shadow kept going... Seth hit his breaks and glanced back down the way he had come... He hadn't realized before just how far he had come. The town was a good ways back now... He was almost edging up onto the tractor fields... It was stupid to have come out here to who knew what alone... No one knew he was out here. Anything could... Why did he even care? It would solve at least one of his problems...

He gave a good shake and let his gaze travel back the way the shadow had gone. It was now quiet and still. Had he just imagined the whole thing? No it had been there. He was sure of it. He shivered in the early morning chill, the dampness creeping up onto him like a snake through the grass. It was very stupid for him to come up here. Something he was about to fix. He silently turned around and began the trek back to town. Bunk the shadow... It could find itself...

He had only traveled a few feet when something flickered on the edge of his vision again. This time it came in to fast for him to watch. An impossible force hit his side panel, causing him to slide several feet until he hit a tree sideways, the air rushing out of him in one long gasp.

Tires folded beneath him as he collapsed, the Mustang desperately trying to pull in blessed air that wouldn't seem to come. Oh hell no one had told him he could die of suffocation by running into a tree!

Along the edges of the darkness that was his vision something moved... Another sharp force, coupled with the loud clang of metal on metal rang through the air, the feeling of his door panel giving in sending a sharp pang of pain right through him.

"Poor little Mustang... Did I hurt you?" The voice was whispered, but in his audio it rang out so loud it could have been a scream...

Seth's mind wasn't exactly on the voice. He was finely able to pull in a deep breath of air. Wonderful blessed air...

Only to have it driven right back out as whatever it was, hit him again. This time, however; he was at least somewhat ready for it. He pulled forward as soon as the force left him and spun around... He was alone in the clearing...

Impossible... He spun around, panting softly as his gaze wildly followed the tree lines. Something was there... He could still feel the pain... He hadn't imagined it...

There! He let out a startled cry as it came in from the side, sending him back several feet to avoid it. Then it was gone again...

"Show yourself!" He demanded, his voice harsh and weak to his own mind.

"What's wrong? I though you liked playing with shadows." The voice taunted, keeping a sickly sweet tone that almost seemed innocent.

Seth whipped around in the direction of the voice to face... Nothing...

"To slow little Mustang..." The voice was taunting him... Keeping him guessing... Spinning him 'round and 'round...

He wouldn't be taken in by it... Slowly Seth forced himself to slow down. He glared at the tree line and slowly took inventory. His side hurt... Horribly... His right front tire was flat. When had that happened? He wasn't entirely sure but there was absolutely no way he was driving back to town on his own...

He had to stay and fight... He didn't have a choice...

"Afraid to show yourself?" He questioned, forcing his own taunting tones into his voice. "Afraid I'll win? Afraid I'll beat you at your own game?"

"I've already beaten you once." Was the come back.

"Oh? When? I don't remember losing to a shadow."

Snarl tore its way through the clearing. Something large and black suddenly filled his vision as Seth was pushed back hard into a group of trees... Damien only smiled that horrible smile at him.

"Remember me now Mustang? Enjoying being able to breath?"

Seth snarled and set back, attempting to escape the icy grip of the Roadster. He had been death... He had driven both sides of the veil and felt the icy grip of his shadows... Yet absolutely nothing could have ever prepared him for anything so cold...

"I gave you life Mustang... I can take it away just as easily."

Seth once more set back, dust billowing around the two vehicles as his tires scrambled for purchase...

"Oh settle down little Mustang... Do you know what they did to creatures like you way back when? They crucified them..." The Roadster growled out, steadily pushing Seth back against the trees. "You... Are even more unnatural than I... You... Are truly an evil thing after all... You... Know where you are going as soon as you're gone don't you?" The voice was honey sweet... Seth barely heard it as his frame began to buckle under the pressure.

"Oh don't struggle little Mustang... It'll only hurt so long as it takes to die. Maybe another face would make you feel better?" The Roadster blurred... Just as quickly the priest was there, pushing just as hard back against the trees. Seth locked his gaze on that of the 'priests'. Those accusing eyes that demanded to know why he had not been able to help him... Not with the cruel haze of the Roadster's.

Seth tried to bite back a gasp of pain and horror but it still left him as the trees behind him cracked. Just as quickly... It was gone... A loud clang and an outraged roar was let out as the 'priest' was flung across the small clearing. He struggled to his tires, spinning around to see who dared...

"Seth come on!"

Seth struggled to his feet as a flash of green touched the edge of his vision. Low set to the ground... A stock car had done that? The insane question flashed through his mind for a moment as he swayed on his tires. How had Chick thrown Damien across a clearing?

There was another clang of metal on metal and a howl of rage from Damien as he was sent across the clearing again, a much bigger flash of green moving across his hazy vision. Much bigger than a stock car...

Oh... He had forgot about Chick's driver, Pete... Pete! Hope flared itself in his mind as he forced himself to remain on his tires and limp towards Chick. Chick at least had some bit of sense in the situation... He must have seen him leave town... Unlike Seth he had thought far enough ahead to grab someone really big to take with him.

"Can you drive?" Chick questioned urgently, as Seth reached his side. The Mustang gave a shake of his grill, a flinch traveling its way through his frame as he looked back at the ongoing tussle. Damien was powerful... However, pure force and the act of surprise that he was even being attacked was in Pete's favor. The massive rig spun around, letting his trailer fling around like a whip. The massive steel box hit Damien broadside, tossing him aside as if he where a child's toy. Shock and surprise was hindering him from pulling himself together long enough for a come back.

Pete refused to let up. He continued the brutal beating one strike after another until Damien could take no more... Literally... The 'priest' abruptly broke off into a haze, the cloud bank lifting along with the mist that had suddenly fled from the area. The rolling thunder turned itself to a sharp enraged screech as Damien's voice rang out. "This isn't over! Do you hear me? This isn't over!" Just like that, they where alone in a quiet little clearing...

"He'll be back..." Seth rasped out, drawing a nod from Chick.

"I figured that... Pete think you can get us out of here?"

The tired rig nodded, weak smile crossing his grill. He was still sick, and the fight had taken more out of him than he cared to think about... However, he was up for it...

His trailer door dropped down allowing Chick and Seth to bolt their way into the relative safety the trailer provided. Seth's tires had barely left the ramp when it snapped shut behind him and he felt the rig rumbling into motion.

"You alright?" Chick questioned, the stock car twisting around in the trailer until he could face the battered Mustang.

"I... Think so?" Seth questioned weakly, a brief shudder given. He wasn't entirely sure how much abuse a mortal could take... Though this was... Different to someone who had never really felt pain before... Not this kind...

"Let me see." Chick instructed simply, bringing a slow nod from Seth as he pulled closer. A light came on in the trailer allowing Seth to glance around as Chick looked him over. One would think that the inside of Chick's trailer would have been dedicated to... Well Chick... As much of an ego maniac as he claimed to be.

Anyone who knew him at all would have been floored... As it was Seth only regarded the walls with a keen sense of interest. Pictures plastered one side of the trailer... Chick's mother and father he knew of course. One was one of his shadows and one he had guided... His brother and sister where more vague to him. Then there was pictures of his crew and even a few drawings and tire made birthday cards written out to an Uncle Chick.

In all it was actually difficult to even follow his racing career from inside the trailer, but for an article or two from newspapers and sports pages... Up above was a simple lighting system and speakers to what he guessed was the radio, and a drop down flat screen t.v. Towards the front a few more basic appliances that would be needed on the road. A home away from home... A bit like a small apartment on the inside of the trailer...

"I think you'll be alright... It looks mostly like stuff that will work itself out in a day or two, but you're gonna be sore. You're also gonna probably need a new paint job." Chick offered, backing off a bit.

"Thank you." Seth offered with a genuine smile. "How did you..."

"Racein' kid." Chick offered with a wink. "I've been banged up so many times without a way to get help I can pretty much put myself back together again."

Seth chuckled softly and shook his grill. "I meant in the clearing."

"Oh that. Eh I saw you leaving. Figured you might need help. Also figured you hadn't thought ahead by going out there alone." He pointed out, the word alone raised just a bit as he gave the Mustang a flat look.

"Hmm..." Seth mused, not about to get into that one. He knew damn well he had done something incredibly stupid out there.

"You've never had to be afraid of anything have you?" Chick questioned slowly.

Seth gave a slow shake of his grill. "Fear... Is a mystery to immortals. For what does an immortal have to fear?" He pointed out slowly. That drew a slow nod from Chick as Pete rumbled to a stop and let his trailer door down again. Seth carefully backed out into the now much brighter sunlight as Chick followed. The town was a bit busier now... The sun was a bit higher off the mountains and Flo was just setting up a few things before she opened the café for breakfast.

As soon as Chick and Seth where off the trailer, Pete pulled off again, the ageing rig desperately wanting to park somewhere and rest. Seth heaved a weary sigh before making his way down the street, vaguely aware of Chick following.

Doc and Sheriff where out of touch for the moment... Doc in intensive care and Sheriff keeping somewhat of a vigil over his friend... Sarge was down for the count... Fillmore wasn't all that much help in his opinion... Lightning was barely on his tires... Who was next? For that matter where did they go from here?

"Seth!" Flo's voice shook him from his thoughts as he pulled up in the café. "What happened to you sugar?"

That surprised him for a moment, the pain having dulled out to an almost numb ache. Worry over the town had for a time allowed him to forget just how much he hurt...

His little run in with Damien... Peachy...

"I'm alright Flo." He responded quietly, though cringed when her angry gaze went past him to Chick.

"Chick helped me out before I got into even more trouble." He added. Her gaze instantly softened with the knowledge that Chick had been his saving grace rather than his tormentor.

"Where's the rest of the town?" Seth questioned, though even as he asked it he could see a few other vehicles pulling up. Ramone had spotted the group coming and was quickly pulling up to his wife's side, followed by Lightning and Sally.

Across the street the gathering group had caught Luigi's attention, causing the little car to bump Guido and start over. Within' moments his question was answered as Red and Lizzie pulled up, the entire town gathering at the café minus those who had already fallen...

"Damien is back." He announced, pulling a collective gasp from the town. Some of them where already falling to the false memories the other side was instilling. Some of them where becoming a bit more clear as to just who he was... All of them knew who Damien was... He was the one tormenting their town. Some of them weren't sure of the extent... They thought he had killed the priest yes... The priest that had been here in this town only days before...

"Damien did this to you?" Sally questioned slowly. Seth only nodded.

"This is a problem people... A big problem. I want you all to keep inside and out of sight as much as possible. Stick together if you can... I don't mean close your stores. We want him to know he hasn't affected us. Let him know he doesn't frighten us... That's his biggest weapon. Fear..."

He explained, gaining a bunch of confused nods from the collective group...

"I spoke to Sheriff this morning."

That caught their attention.

"Doc is stable but not yet out of danger. He had little more information than that... He spoke to him briefly last night but he was very tired." He explained, gaining more nods from the collective group.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Lightning questioned slowly.

"I can't answer that Lightning. However, Doc is a strong vehicle." Seth stated with a nod. That seemed to bring a bit of comfort. They fell quiet.

"Seth is your Dad coming back to town this evening?" Flow questioned quietly. That surprised him... A little thrown off for a moment, but no one seemed to correct her. The false memory had spread much further than he thought...

"No... He felt it would be better to stay with Doc." Seth explained slowly. It was partly true. Sheriff had actually wanted to rush back to town and deal with all that was happening, seeing the danger he had left the town in.

Seth had pointed out that Doc was helpless in his current state. That he needed a strong psychic to counter act what might possibly be coming after him. Doc needed someone to protect him at the hospital... Seeing that logic Sheriff had reluctantly agreed and left the safety of the town in Seth's tires.

It was difficult on the Sheriff... On one side his town needed him. A town he was responsible for the safety of. On the other side his best friend needed him. He wanted to be in two places at once but just couldn't be...

He would have to rely on Seth to help him out this time... His son... Someone had one hell of a sense of humor...

Seth would have growled if it wouldn't have looked entirely bizarre to the collected group who was now slowly scattering to grab some breakfast before the day really started...

"Where did this turn so wrong?" He mused to himself, silently watching as the cars of the town went about their day.

"Where did what go wrong?" The voice beside him startled him a bit, but he calmed almost instantly when he spotted Chick at his side. The stock car had nothing else to do but follow around a brooding Mustang.

"This whole thing... I was suppose to bring in a rogue demon. That was it. Now..."

"Life's turned upside down?" Chick questioned gaining a little smirk from Seth.

"More like Death's turned upside..." Seth paused and stared blankly straight ahead... "I underestimated him..."

"Well of course ya did Seth you went out there-"

"Not what I meant." Seth stated flatly as he spun around to face Chick.

"Life can not beat Death... It's not possible. Death is stronger and not held down by the limitations that life is. Therefore anything that is alive can not actively beat Death. Pete didn't beat him... He wouldn't have been able to even do that if he hadn't caught Damien off guard... He sent him off kilter and I imagine it was the fact I was there that did it... I imagine an immortal turning mortal has set the scales off kilter..."

"Makes sense I guess..." Chick slowly agreed. He had the feeling his input didn't really matter in this case. Seth just needed someone to voice these thoughts to. He could do that...

"Now... When I was Death I lost to Damien... Because I underestimated him. I treated him as a rogue demon. Not a former Death. I was cocky, and that was my mistake. The result was... Not something I ever could have predicted..."

"The defeat of death is life?" Chick questioned, gaining a slow nod from Seth.

"So it would seem... I didn't deal with Damien in the beginning as I should have and now he's grown powerful..."

"So what now?" Chick questioned slowly, his gaze traveling over the almost silent town.

"Now... I don't know." Seth mused, his gaze shooting up towards Sarge's house.

"I need to talk to someone... Keep an eye on the others." Seth stated simply and hurried up the street, limping badly on three tires as he headed for Sarge's home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on Steve... You owe me!"

Ebony gave the little black truck her most pleading gaze as she stared at him from across the desk. His gaze was hardly sympathetic to her plight... "Ebony... You helping me with a busted stapler hardly consists of the 'I owe you a favor' as to this big of a miracle. Do you have any idea what it takes to perform a true medical miracle?"

"But Steve!" Ebony pleaded as she reared up to rest her tires on the flat planes of the desk. "I really need your help on this one... This just means I'll owe you an even bigger favor... Please Steve? We owe these people. If it wasn't for the mistake of the after life... Letting a former Death across the veil! The stress of it all wouldn't have even been pulled into play!"

"Ebony... Doc was going to have this problem even if Damien hadn't gotten down into the world. You know that and I know that so you can't play that card." The truck explained evenly.

"Alright forget that... I don't want to have to go to higher council with this. Come on Steve! You where Seth's friend to... He would want this."

That actually brought a laugh from the truck. "Seth? That sociopath? Oh please... The best thing that ever happened to the afterlife was him crossing the veil into life."

"He'll be back again soon if you don't help me." Ebony snapped, irritation clouding her voice.

"Ebony..." Steve scolded, a frown crossing his grill.

"I'll go to the head Death for this! I will!" Ebony fussed, irritated stomp of one tire given.

"No one sees Death Ebony. You know that as well as I do. He won't see you."

"I'll make him see me!" Ebony yelled, tire hitting the desk hard and sending papers flying.

Steve's only answer was a level gaze and a 'well then go try it' attitude. It wasn't his fault... Ebony just didn't know where else to go... "Please Steve..." She tried, her tone softening.

"I don't... I have to help these people. I never ask for anything like this from you... Please... Just this one time in my entire Death career... Do this one little thing for me."

Steve frowned for a long moment, his gaze narrowing at the Viper.

"Please?"

He was wavering... She knew it...

"Just this once..." She pressed...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I've been looking at this wrong!"

Henry and Ralph silently backed up as their boss paced back and forth, the normally so calm and collected Seth pacing back and forth furiously across the floor of Sarge's home. Fillmore had been sent away on the mission of picking up a few well known sedatives from Doc's clinic and getting some fuel from Flo's. All in all Seth simply needed to unload his problems on ears that would understand them.

"Life can not defeat Death. However, Death can!"

"You didn't." Ralph pointed out evenly.

"Because I underestimated him." Seth shot back.

"You're not Death anymore." Ralph then pointed out. Ralph was the voice of reason in this case. Like his son he had a level mind. Nothing ever seemed to rattle him. Years of racing had done that to him.

"No... I'm not. However, what we're talking about is a form of Death. A retired Death. A powerful Death... Therefore the only thing that can take him... Is Death..."

"So you've been saying..." Ralph offered patiently, but Seth shook his grill.

"No you don't get it. Not Death... Death!"

That brought a look of wide eyed shock from Henry and Ralph.

"You mean... Death death?" Henry questioned slowly.

"Exactly! The Death! The boss! The big kahoona! Death's boss. The one who acts as a link between the Creator and the Beast! Death!"

"Seth... He's not gonna get involved in this..." Henry tried slowly, though Seth turned to face him in an instant.

"And why not? What if we had something to draw him out? He probably doesn't even know what's going on at this point."

"What would draw him out?" Henry questioned, a frown crossing grill as he thought on that.

Seth paused, a slow smile crossing grill. "The death of a former Death?"

The result was a shocked silence...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The town was silent... Barely words had passed through the late morning and into the afternoon... Now sun was setting... Brilliant reds and golds flew over the town causing it to look as if it where on fire...

The buildings burned with the brilliant colors of the setting sun... Seth watched quietly from the window of the station... From there he could see Flo sweeping the dust from her café. Sally fiddled with the lights of her vacancy sign, trying to work the short out of them. Lightning was training. Literally. He was determined. For the past few hours he had been slowly driving up and down the street. A cruising speed but it wasn't speed he was after. It was endurance. He claimed when he had first been allowed to leave Doc's clinic after his first injury that was what Doc had made him do for hours at a time. Build up his strength. Now he felt he had his strength back... He was repeating the exercises. Repeating what Doc had told him to do. He claimed Doc would have his hood when he got back and found Lightning had been lazing about. The rest of the town had agreed with that and had helped him along...

Luigi and Guido where rearranging their tire display...

Fillmore was out and about again. He had left Sarge in the care of Henry and Ralph to grab a quick refuel, then had turned his attention to something Sarge did every week. He carefully trimmed Sarge's lawn. He then went about the task of taking down the flag he had put up that morning for Sarge. He claimed Sarge would be upset if those things where not done...

On her front porch Lizzie quietly dozed... Seth could feel a pull to her... The last remains of what he was... She would be gone soon...

Up the street Red quietly watered his flowers. A gentle giant... To him Seth also felt a pull... However, with Red it was a pang of sympathy. The knowledge of what had happened to take the gentle vehicle's voice...

Mater was moving from car to car, trying to strike up a conversation. The poor truck was lonely now that no one was really talking... He didn't know what to do with the silence...

Behind Doc's clinic Chick sat parked, quietly chatting with Pete. The truck was getting better. If he wanted to... Chick could move on to California now... The rig was well rested enough to make the trip. They both knew that Chick wouldn't be going anywhere until everything had turned out. Maybe curiosity... Maybe it was what Seth suspected. Like Seth himself... Chick had actually grown fond of these people... Maybe he even had his own penance to deal with. Maybe he even just wanted to be part of the group. Either way he wouldn't be leaving for a time...

The fire red of sunset was fading... Deep purples touched the sky as the sun slowly sank below the hills...

The fire that had been cast upon the town was fading to night... The fire was something that would burn into Seth's mind for the rest of his existence... The fire of a burning life...

Darkness had fallen... It was time...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheriff snatched awake as his attention was ripped out of dreams of fire and life to the harsh reality of darkness and death...

Something was happening... A few feet away from him Doc still slumbered peacefully... Something was wrong. Doc gasped for a moment, seeming to be struggling for a breath.

Around them alarms rang. Sheriff flinched and hit the panic button on the wall, though the alarms would already be bringing in help.

He was right. As soon as he hit it, doctors where already streaming into the room. Within' a moment he found himself being pushed out and out of the way as doctors and nurses surrounded his friend.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

No one noticed Seth... That was what he wanted as he slipped through the darkness. Not a single light shown from him as he crept across the street. Everyone was at Flo's café as they where every night. A sense of dread had pulled them together. Maybe they wondered where Seth was...

Maybe not...

He didn't care. He had a task to do. Fear was replaced by determination. Sort of... There was plenty of fear... Dread, fear, horror... It was all there.

Seth had never been this afraid in his life...

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We're losing him!"

"Run an O2 line. We need to intibate now! Get me a cardiac scan!"

He didn't understand any of this... Sheriff waited in the corner he had backed into as the doctors rushed around the room. Yelled out jargon he had no hope of understanding... Barked out orders to each other as the head of the code worked...

The steady and comforting beep of Doc's fuel pump monitor had flatlined to a steady and annoying squeal. He had seen that on t.v... He hoped there was a difference in reality... Unfortunately it didn't look like it...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Seth was a little surprised to find the heavy doors unlocked. He silently slipped inside of the dark clinic and shut the door behind him, flipping the lock. He didn't need anyone coming in now... He was nervous enough as it was... If someone tried to talk him out of it... He might just chicken out as the mortals said...

He gave a hard swallow and moved over to Doc's medicine cabinets. It was neat and clean up there, a place for everything and everything in its place.

"Come on Doc... Tell me you have something stronger than Asprin in this place..." Seth whispered to himself as he carefully scanned the shelves.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Fuel pressure's dropping!"

That squeal wouldn't stop... They had opened up Doc's hood and the doctors where attempting to manually force his fuel pump to beat as they began CPR.

Sheriff shuddered and backed into the hall way... He couldn't watch...

The sight of his friend's engine being worked on was to much...

As he backed into the wall on the other side of the hallway an icy breath seemed to move right down his frame to his tires...

"No..." He whispered, the sting of tears filling his eyes. He couldn't see them... He had a feeling grief shock was to blame... He knew they where there...

"No..." He whispered again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sedative... That was what he needed.

Seth swallowed hard and silently pulled the sedative off the shelf. He didn't know how the other medications would react. It might just knock him out, which was not the point. It wouldn't help him at all in the least...

He needed to face Death and he needed to do it now. Not later... Not someday... Now...

He flipped the vile over and carefully read the back. It was powerful... That was good. A few CC's in a solution of saline would knock him out for hours. He needed more than that. He moved across the room, quickly searching through Doc's library until he found a medical journal. Luck was with him...

He flipped through the pages quickly, looking up the drug in his possession...

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The hallway was colder... So cold he could barely breath...

"You can't have him..." He whispered, focusing his energy... It was something he had done the night Julia had died... It hadn't worked then. He doubted it would work now. For the same reason eh couldn't contact his father... His mother... His siblings...

All lost to him because he was to close to him. For that same reason it was like he was looking through a fog. Somewhere in the mist he thought he heard Ebony's voice...

Somewhere in the fog he thought he saw the black shape of a viper... Maybe even a splash of blue...

Grief shock...

From in the room he could hear the doctors barking out orders. Barking out instructions...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was more powerful than he thought. Seth blinked at the listing in the book and let his gaze shift to the vile. Wow... That stuff packed a punch. It listed a very careful dose instructions, warning that an overdose could result in possible brain damage and immediate death in some cases.

It wasn't one that Doc liked to use on a regular basis... However, it was effective in some emergencies. Such as impromptu surgery on Lightning's fuel lines...

This was it then... It was real...

Seth sighed and closed his eyes for a moment... The sting at his eyes surprised him... He felt the air against his hide... The ground under his tires... Took a deep breath of air... Felt his fuel pump thumping softly under his hood... He didn't want all this to end... He wanted to live... The realization was shocking... He wanted to live... He eyed the vile again. This was the only way and he didn't want it...

With a shuddering breath he drew a dosage... Enough to knock a out flat for surgery... Way more than a small Mustang needed... He needed it to be quick.

He let out a soft whimper and took the entire dose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The code had gone round... Round and round...

The set pattern of drugs that had been tried... All of them failed...

The machines told of their failure.

That squeal wouldn't shut up. The tell tail sign of no beat from a fuel pump...

The doctors slowly backed off and glanced at each other then to the head of the code, quietly asking the same question. Was it time now?

Yes it was... They had done all they could.

Steadily the head of the code checked the time and made the call... "Doctor Jesse Hudson... Time of death 9:20 P.M."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

There was no pain... For a moment he thought he had miss read the dose... He was so sleepy..

But no... It wasn't darkness that clouded his vision that lead to sleep. He felt the familiar pull... Felt the sweet cold creeping in... The feeling of panic as his fuel pump slowed dangerously.

Then it stopped... It was gone... He took his last breath... Felt the cold tendrils of his shadows.

They had come for him. No... Had to fight that to. He would only answer to one.

At 9:20 P.M... Seth was dead.

To be continued...

(Got chills yet?)


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer- Pixar of course owns Cars. Ebony Talon is mine and so is Seth and Damien Cain. I also own Briel and since I named Steve after a friend of mine he kinda owns himself.

Notes: Wow! This one took a while to get out but yes! It's over! Last chapter! This is it! hands out the tissue This is it until the sequel! Mwahahaha Ok I'm done. A few notes on this one. It gets dark in a few places. (After the end of the last chapter no duh...) I'm told it's a little spooky in a few places. Also... An extra cookie for anyone who can name the reference of Death! Want a hint? Pick up a history book! After all without history you have no future! Also note that this is the chapter that almost wasn't. My computer ate it! Ate this... As well as a term paper... A few essays I needed... Some graphics for class... Now we all must give my dear friend Kyle a hand. Not only did he get me back online but he saved my work to! I didn't have to rewrite this! Yay Kyle! This time... He Rocks On! Peace out ya'll!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Light... It was the first thing that truly registered. It was comforting... He seemed to be floating... It was a peaceful and saurian feeling. Like nothing in the world mattered... Time was nothing... The only thing that really mattered in his entire existence was the here and now.

If he thought, he could feel his friends. His family. He was loved. He could also feel that they where all ok. A forbidding danger hung overhead but it was alright. For now they where safe.

"Doc?" He knew that voice... Where did he know it from? It didn't matter to him anymore...

"Doc we kinda have you in a sort of limbo... It's gonna be weird for a moment..."

Again that voice. He honestly couldn't even begin to understand what it was saying.

"Hold on Doc just a few more seconds..."

Just like that the haze was gone. He blinked as it seemed to part and clear, the light darkening as he was pulled through what could only be described as a tunnel... It was never ending... He felt as if he were moving and yet he was perfectly still...

"Doc?" Ebony... The voice was Ebony...

"Where am I?"

"It's a long story Doc. We're sending you back."

He wasn't sure why but relief flooded him. He was going back... Despite the peace he felt... He was needed somewhere else.

"Listen Doc when we send you back... You're not going to remember this... I need you to."

He blinked as the viper came into his vision, a small pickup just behind her.

"I need you to listen very carefully. When you wake up I need you to give Sheriff a message. I can't get through, the entire system is screwed up... Once I send you back I doubt I'll be allowed to contact you. So I need you to remember this now. Tell Sheriff that Seth has done something very stupid and he needs to go home. No matter what Seth told him. He needs to go back to Radiator Springs and he needs to go there as fast as he possibly can. Seth needs his help."

Again Doc nodded slowly. "Got it..." He mused, another blink given as the viper backed up a bit. The pickup looked worried... Considerably so...

"Doc this is Steve. He's in charge of miracles." Ebony explained and rolled her eyes. "I owe him big for this one..."

"You have no idea how big..." Steve corrected. Ebony nodded and cast her attention back to Doc. "Message?"

"Tell Sheriff Seth has done something very stupid. He needs to go back home to Radiator Springs as fast as he can no matter what Seth has told him because Seth needs his help." Doc repeated gaining a nod of approval from Ebony.

"Ebony..." He started slowly, another slow gaze cast around. "Did I die?"

"Well yeah... Technically... I'm also suppose to take you back with me. I'm breaking a few rules here... So if I don't see ya'll again... Tell everyone goodbye for me? Sheriff and Seth... And tell them I said thanks." She offered, a slow smile crossing her grill.

"Eb-" He was cut off as Steve came forward. There was a flash of light, somehow managing to turn even brighter...

"This will be weird Doc but it won't hurt... Remember my message."

He felt as if he where falling. He flinched and waited for the impact of hitting the ground but it never came.

"Doctor... There's a murmur..."

A different voice now... He was back in the haze... Suddenly nothing mattered again. It could have been a few seconds... It could have been an eternity...

"That's impossible."

"Well listen... It sounds like a murmur."

"Alright, alright, hang on..."

Where was he? He remembered Ebony had been there... But it was as if it where locked in a haze... No! Message!

He focused on that. Curled himself around that message. Locked onto the words and repeated over and over.

"My God... Get the defib back over here!"

Blinding pain... A shock that coursed through every part of him.

"We lost it!"

"Try again!"

The voices where becoming frantic... Didn't we already go through this? He was almost sure they had...

"I got it!"

Things where becoming clearer... The haze was parting and he could see a light... Though the light wasn't as comforting as the last one had been. The harsh light of a hospital room... Pain flooded back in a wave.

"I've got a pulse! It's leveling out."

The waking world was coming on fast... He shook awake, the images of the surrounding doctors a blur but there all the same... The pain was... Everywhere... There wasn't a part of him that didn't hurt... The sharp pain under his hood was rather debilitating...

"Sheriff..." He muttered, attempting to be insistent as the doctors moved around him.

"Doctor Hudson you're going to be alright. Do you know where you are?"

"Sheriff" He stated a bit more clearly. The message was fading... He couldn't even remember who had asked him to give Sheriff the message anymore... Nor did he understand the contents. Just that he had to repeat the message.

"We'll get him in a minute Doctor Hudson. For now I need you to be still."

"Sheriff" He insisted, twisting a bit. Nope... If they wouldn't get him he would find him.

A soft curse sounded from the Doctor as his attention suddenly shifted away. "Someone get the police car in here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff Carson?" Sheriff glanced up from where he sat, a flinch crossing his features. The doctor had been there a moment ago... Given him the news... Doc was dead. The code had been called.

He had just been gathering himself to call home... Picking himself up off the floor to get to a phone... Let everyone know the person closest to them was gone... Now what did they want?

"Sheriff Carson something has happened. Your friend... We need you to come into the room." She was a nurse he supposed. She had the hospital badge stuck to her fender, but the familiar logo that announced doctor wasn't worn... The one that Doc never wore. He had one... Sheriff had seen it on him once when he was headed for some conference somewhere. Doc always pointed out it wasn't as if he needed to be distinguished from a whole slew of other medical personnel that filtered around town...

"Into the room?" He questioned, a puzzled expression crossing his features. He didn't want to see Doc's body... What the hell was wrong with these people?

"Yes sir... I'm sorry could you come with me?"

"Look ma'am... I know ya'll are just trying to help and be professional... But I don't want to see his body. I remember him alive..." Sheriff pointed out with a shake of his grill. This hurt enough what in the hell was wrong with her?

"No it's not that Sheriff... I mean... Just come with me?" She looked as if something had frightened her... Possibly it was only that look but after a moment Sheriff found himself quietly following.

He had just crossed into the room when he froze. Doc was awake... What in the... His gaze shot to the doctor who looked just as confused as he did. The head of the code was barking out instructions... Monitors to be hooked up... That was it. They couldn't order anything... Because from the looks of it there was nothing wrong with him...

"He's asking for you..." The doctor to the right stated simply and backed off a bit.

"Doc?" Sheriff questioned, dumbfounded as he pulled up infront of his friend.

"Sheriff" He rasped out, his eyes locking on those of his friend. Pure relief flooded Sheriff. Doc was alive! He couldn't explain it but he was. A rush of happiness and for the moment all he wanted to do was hug his friend. Unfortunately Doc's tone was weak but urgent. It would have to wait...

"Message... Go home." He stated, deep breath pulled in between words. "Seth... Done something stupid... Go home..." He repeated weakly.

"Doc..."

"Go home." Doc insisted once more, a shudder going through his frame. "Seth... Needs help..."

Sheriff gave a slow nod as he backed up towards the door. The doctors let him go as Doc calmed and allowed them to treat him.

The old patrol car gave a shudder, and muttered a silent prayer before he bolted out the door and down the hall. He was torn... His best friend needed him. However, it was his best friend that seemed to have a message from beyond the grave. He had no doubt who had given him the message. Ebony... He wouldn't have remembered anything of what happened if she hadn't told him to focus on the message in the first place. He knew how it worked... For the most part...

Why wasn't she contacting him? He guessed she wouldn't have been able to get through the grief before... Now the only emotion that was left was an almost light hooded relief... Twenty minutes... Twenty minutes he had sat in the waiting room with that sinking dread and pain... Trying to think of a way to tell the others... He would have to call them... What would he tell them?

Now relief. Nothing but relief... There was also urgency... Doc had spired him into flight... He didn't pause at the desk as he bolted through the waiting room and out the front doors of the hospital. As soon as he hit the streets his sirens clicked on. It was nearly an hours drive to Radiator Springs... He had to move and he had to move fast.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's cold tonight..."

They all couldn't agree more... Flo had voiced what they had all been thinking. A chill of dread and fear had touched down on the town... The kind of chill that crept up through the tires and seemed to touch every part of a car...

"It's been like this lately at night have you noticed?" Sally mused. Beside her Lightning gave a nod.

"Is this strange weather for this time of year? I always heard it got cold in the dessert at night."

"Well it does... Not this kind of cold though. This is a wet cold..."

"Oh..." Lightning muttered softly.

"Any kind of wet isn't normal for this time of year. This is the dry season." Sally explained softly.

"Then why has it been so... Overcast the last few days?" Lightning questioned, but Sally could only shrug. Damned if she knew...

"Lightning ain't it about time for your medicine?" Flo questioned, silently sliding a can of oil in front of Mater as she came over.

Lightning blinked and silently glanced up towards the café to the clock on the wall. Past time... An hour past time... No wonder the dull ache in his side had come back. "Yeah... About an hour past time actually. I was suppose to take it at nine." He muttered, a flinch crossing his features as he attempted to pull his tires up under him.

"Stay there." Sally offered, a smile crossing her grill as she got up. She leaned over and nuzzled his side, quiet chuckle given. "I'll get it for you. There's no sense in you moving around if you're hurting."

"Thanks Sal..." Lightning offered, a weak smile crossing his grill. "It's in Doc's office on the desk last I saw it."

She nodded and gave him another affectionate nudge before she set off down the road. That feeling of dread hadn't lifted from the town. That same feeling that seemed to have been over the town for days. She would be glad when all this stopped... She wished now she had never heard of Damien Cain... If that was even his real name...

The strangeness of the situation only grew deeper... Now there was a dead priest... Doc was sick... Sarge was... Something... Lightning was hurt... It was as if the entire town was crumbling. The very thought made her shudder.

Somehow they had to pull through this. All of them. Radiator Springs would not be Radiator Springs if someone was gone... If someone was suddenly gone... The town would die with them. She knew that... She wouldn't be able to stay at least... It would hurt to much to stay... Hell if anything happened to Lightning... She shuddered to even think about it.

She sighed and nudged the door of Doc's clinic open with her fender and stepped inside. The air was cool in there. To cool... It was freezing!

She shivered as she quickly stepped across the dark clinic, her path lit by a soft glow from further back in the clinic. Where was the light coming from? She shrugged it off as she flipped on the lights of Doc's office. The medicine was exactly where Lightning said it would be... Sitting on the corner of Doc's desk.

She picked it up and flipped the lights back off, turning back around to the clinic. The supply room... The light was on in there. That's where the glow was coming from. Had Doc left it on?

She frowned and silently edged forward. He must have. No...

She rolled her eyes at her own paranoid thoughts and sighed. Sheriff... He had been the first one there. Lightning had called him when Doc's engine failed. General first aide for that was an Asprin so he must have gone in there to get it. In all the commotion it would have made sense he probably hadn't turned off the light again.

Doc would be irritated when he came home. He was always careful not to waste electricity. She shrugged and silently moved across the clinic to the supply room to turn off the light. It hadn't been Sheriff's fault but really...

She nudged open the door, a tire reaching out to flip the switch and froze... The entire town caught wind of her scream...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was so easy to get lost in the darkness... It would have been so easy to submit to it... To allow it to take him... To rest in it...

Those thoughts where shaken away with a snarl. Around him the shadows closed. Pulled at him. Tore at him... Tried to push him into their grip and through the veil. Seth refused to go.

"I will only submit to one." He snarled for what seemed like the hundredth time. The shadows where almost desperate as they pulled at him. He didn't run from them like most would have. He simply would not move... The shadows would not drag him as they would everyone else. He had been their boss. Their friend. He had been the one who was always fair to them. Who they could count on would turn them loose when their time was up. When they had served to the best of their ability. Not before and not after that... When their time was up... When their debt was paid... He would let them go. He had always been fair.

Now he was their charge. To drag him down to the pits and fires and he wouldn't go.

"Tell Death to come and get me. I will talk to him and only him. The Death. Not the Angel of Death. Death. I will submit only to him..."

The shadows pleaded to him as they tugged at him. Pleaded with him not to go there. To cooperate. He wouldn't.

Suddenly his world snapped back into focus. He was in the supply room... The shadows gone... He gasped softly as his gaze fell on that of his own body. He didn't know why... But it was as if the floor had dropped out from beneath him...

His tires felt weak... As if they couldn't support him... He backed up a bit, surprise shooting through him as someone hurried into the room. It was only then did sound begin to register. Someone was crying... Hysterical crying coming from the other room. He could hear Flo's soft and motherly voice from the other room trying to comfort whoever was crying. The one who had rushed inside was Ramone... Just behind him Chick came in, dragging something. The two of them pulled at what it was Chick was dragging... A sheet... They pulled the sheet over Seth's body and quickly left again... Seth followed.

They couldn't see him... Of course they couldn't he was dead. After only a few days he had almost forgotten how the whole thing worked. Not exactly a good thing... Hot on the tails of Chick he moved into the main clinic. Lightning quietly allowed Sally to huddle against his side, while Flo talked softly to the both of them, always the soothing voice. Not far away Luigi and Guido sat parked looking... For a better word floored. Of course... They remembered him as the son of the Sheriff... From the false memories set in this probably came as an extreme shock to them..

Flo speaking caught his attention again... With the Sheriff out of town they needed to call someone else. State patrol maybe? The next town over? They needed to call in a coroner... Theirs had moved away years back and they hadn't brought another in yet... They hadn't felt it necessary... Not with as few residents as their were in the town... Flo was taking Lightning and Sally and going home. They didn't need to see all this.

Guido and Luigi where going back to their place as well... Away from all this... Ramone and Chick would be trusted to take care of things... Just as well in Seth's opinion... Get everyone off the street. Away from this...

Already the darkness was coming in... Damien knew... Seth was sure he could feel it... Death knew... He could feel it as well... It was enough to lure him across the veil... Lure him to the living world and collect on a former Death. However, he was almost certain Death didn't know about Damien. When the two met... He felt there was going to be something that would make World War II look like child's pop gun...

The streets where empty now... Everyone had been instructed to remain in their homes... Mater had been sent to take care of Red, though the true meaning was to keep poor Mater out of this... Fillmore had briefly come into the street then hurried back to his vigil over his friend...

Rolling thunder sounded in the west as the clouds rolled in, the night sky darkening as the weather hid moon and stars, the ice cold winds ripping across the dessert. Seth stood alone in the street. Down the street in Sarge's home, Ralph and Henry curiously stepped out into the yard, bristling as they watched the clouds roll in... Like two angry guard dogs they paced the yard, able to feel something had changed. Able to sense all was not right... Seth had also told them what he was planning to do...

They knew...

Another roll of thunder and Seth turned his gaze to the west... Strange weather patterns. It shouldn't be coming in from that way... It wouldn't if it was natural. Damien would be coming in from that way.

"Come on you Bastard..." Seth whispered, setting himself in to wait...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Well you peacemakers go to the same place as the soldiers,  
If you want to make peace, well you gotta find the pain,  
And you bring your words, but you're just like them,  
you're unprepared,  
Cause you don't know the terrain.  
It's a war in there, it's a war in there._

Normally he actually liked that song... He wasn't entirely sure what it was or where it was from. Sometimes they played it on the alternative station though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why... It wasn't as if it fit with the norm... He honestly couldn't even say who sang it...

_And don't you know, I'll never give you a medal,  
Made back on stateside in the central time zone,  
The one that they pin to the outside, to the outside,  
And it leads you all the way home.  
It's a war in there, it's a war in there._

He couldn't take the song anymore... Silence filled the night as he clicked the radio off... Silence that was only cut by the scream of his siren and the sound of his engine as he tore through the night.

Seth had done something stupid... That could be any number of things... Any level of things... Just how stupid could a former Death get? Just how stupid could a reaper be? Not a single possibility was a comforting one. Not a single possible outlook was at all soothing. Seth had done something very stupid.

His exit was fast approaching. He had made the hour drive in just under twenty minutes... Impressive by any standards... He flew down the exit ramp, almost jumping the guard rail as he drove into the dessert. Within' moments he had crossed the tracks and made his way down to the town billboard, sirens echoing through the night.

He had thought Seth was stable now. That Seth wouldn't try anything foolish while he was out of town and Doc was sick. For the love of God didn't they have enough problems?

The town was disturbingly silent when Sheriff pulled into the middle of town and clicked his sirens off. His gaze traveled up and down the street to find it empty... What was going on? Where was everyone? Normally no one turned in this early...

He let his gaze travel up the street to Sarge's home. Henry and Ralph sat parked out on the lawn, tensed and ready for something. As if listening for something... He could have sworn they both looked coiled and ready... Past them he could see the clouds rolling in from the west... West? Odd...

He frowned and swept his gaze further and finally spotted who he was looking for. Seth quietly rolled down the street, his gaze seeming intent on the cloud bank.

"Seth!" He called out to the Mustang, causing him to stop in his tracks, the little car spinning around to regard Sheriff. Something was wrong...

"Sheriff!" The voice was Ramone's. He spun around to face the lowrider who was hurrying up to him. Much faster than he had ever seen him move before.

"Sheriff come with me." He requested, a nudge given to his fender. Sheriff gave a good shake, his gaze still on the Mustang up the street who was now watching him with what looked like an almost curious nature.

"Ramone what the hell is going on here?" Sheriff questioned, his gaze leaving the Mustang and locking on the Lowrider.

"It's Seth..." His old friend sounded as if he flat out didn't want to tell him. Of course... They all thought Seth was his son. Gaze once more traveled back down to Seth. The bastard...

"Sheriff we called in the State Patrol... We don't know what happened, we found him in Doc's clinic..."

"Seth is dead isn't he?" Sheriff stated flatly, drawing a startled nod from Ramone.

"Sheriff... Please come with me. You don't need to do this..." Sheriff cut him off with a shake of his grill, his full attention once more turning to the Lowrider.

"Ramone listen to me. Call the State Patrol and tell them false alarm. I'll take care of this... Whatever you have to tell them so they won't come out here. Then get everyone in town and go to the town hall and stay there. Don't come out no matter what you hear. Understand?" Sheriff questioned, drawing a slow nod form the Lowrider.

"But Sheriff..."

"Don't argue with me Ramone just do it." He snapped, turning and heading up the street at a fast click towards Seth. There was going to be some major explaining and he wanted it explained now...

He supposed Ramone went off to do as he said... The Lowrider was gone from the street. Perhaps he just thought Sheriff had gone nuts... Who knew...

Seth remained where he was, quietly watching as Sheriff approached. The Mustang let his tires twitch back and forth, seeming ready to go. As if he were just tolerating Sheriff's presence at the moment.

"What in the hell did you do?" Sheriff demanded as soon as he was in hearing range of the Mustang.

"Trust me Sheriff this isn't the option I wanted..." Seth offered with an idle shrug. "It figures, just when I began enjoying life it's gone in a flash. Is this what all mortals go through?"

"Oh don't give me that Seth. What killed you?" Sheriff demanded once more, pulling a soft chuckle from Seth.

"First off Sheriff... Why do you care? Those are false memories, I am not your son. Second... What killed me was enough sedatives to knock out a semi truck for surgery. Third... This was necessary."

Sheriff let out an explosive growl, suddenly grill to grill with the Mustang. "First off Seth... I care. You may not be my son but you are my friend. Second... That was a cheap way out and you know it. Third... How in the hell is this necessary?"

Seth for the most part actually looked a bit started to that information. "I'm your friend?" Seth questioned, honestly sounding pleased.

Sheriff sighed and rolled his eyes. "Of course you are. I don't want anything to happen to you, any more than I do anyone else in this town."

Seth gave a brief tilt of his frame as he seemed to consider that. "How ironic. It was for the sake of the town I took this method... Listen to me Sheriff. Damien will not stop with Sarge... He will gain strength in Sarge. Then he will attack every one in the town until there are a town full of bodies just like the priest. He will have no mercy upon your souls. Do you understand this?"

"Why in the hell was that a reason for you to kill yourself? We needed you Seth!"

"You need me more this way!" Seth yelled right back, his gaze narrowing. "I can not defeat a former Death in the living state. Neither could you. Neither could anyone... The only one who could have possibly done us any good was Death. The Death. I assure you there is nothing that will lure him across the veil like the death of a former Death. Give it a few minutes... For that matter get your fender inside. It's going to get ugly out here..."

Sheriff let out what could only have been described as a snarl and shook his grill. "Look Seth, you might think you can-"

"Sheriff?" The patrol car froze and ripped around to glare at the stock car that had come up behind him. Chick only offered a rather flat look in response.

"That look won't work on me."

"I told you all to get into town hall." Sheriff growled out. Chick only shrugged.

"No technically you told the people of this town to get to town hall. I live in California."

"That's not what I meant and you know-"

"Gentlemen..." Seth muttered, pausing Sheriff in his rant. At Sheriff's attention suddenly shifting, Chick's attention did the same.

"It Seth here now?"

Sheriff only nodded absently.

"Sheriff what..." Chick's voice abruptly cut off. His gaze had cast beyond the two of them. Ralph and Henry had started down the street, rolling silently in their undead state until they parked beside Seth.

"You two keep alert." Seth stated simply. "I doubt at this point Damien will have any want towards Sarge when the undead are wandering around Radiator Springs..."

Sheriff made a face at that, though at his side Chick looked horror stricken. "Dad?" He questioned slowly, pulling Ralph's attention.

The look that crossed Ralph's features were sorrowful. "Hey there boy..." A crack of thunder interrupted anything else that would have been said, lightning streaking down to hit a light post.

"Alright this is it. Sheriff you come with me this way. Ralph, Henry and Chick you three take the east side of town and keep an eye out. If you see something do NOT engage. Call me." Seth instructed and took off down the street. Sheriff silently followed, as Henry and Ralph nudged Chick in the other direction, the little group breaking up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I have been in charge of this group for a millenia now and never in my career in angelic management have I ever seen such insubordination!"

A flinch crossed Steve's features as he quietly backed up, pulling a sigh from Ebony. She honestly hadn't meant to pull Steve into this... Though in hindsight she did suppose it was un avoidable... "Sir it wasn't Steve's fault. It was entirely my-"

"Oh don't give me that Ebony! You couldn't have pulled off a medical miracle on your own. He's just as much at fault as you are!"

"But he wouldn't have done it if I hadn't asked him to!" Ebony pointed out, though that was only met with a roll of the BMW's eyes.

"Steve out!" He suddenly yelled. The little pickup truck backed up and quickly hightailed it out of the office.

The piercing eyes of the BMW then swept around to Ebony. "As for you..."

"Sir please, I didn't know what else to do. They need him!"

"That is not you're concern you are not to-"

"Briel?" The BMW paused and turned back towards his desk, stopping mid rant to answer the call. "Yes Lori what is it?"

"There's a surprise addition added to the death roster... I think you'd better take a look."

The BMW frowned but let out a soft sigh of acceptance in response, his attention turning to the open leather bound book spread out across the desk, watching for anything new to appear. "Very well..."

He ignored Ebony for the moment, the viper slowly shuffling a tire back and forth in the heavy silence.

That tired look that had been sported across Briel's features suddenly disappeared, to first shock, then irritation as he stared at the book that had once been the possession of Seth.

"Why that... Ebony!" She snapped to attention as he suddenly turned his full attention back to her. "I need to take care of this myself. You stay here. Do not under any circumstances leave this room or I promise you, you will find yourself in the very depths of hell before you can say 'Crispy Vipers' do you understand me?" She gulped and quickly nodded as he pushed past her and slammed the office door behind him, the sound of his tires and angry yells to anyone who came to close disappearing down the hall.

Ebony blinked for a moment, staring at the door, making certain he wasn't coming back any time soon. Curiosity got the best of her as she silently slipped around the desk and took a peak at the aged pages of the book. Right infront of her stared back a name. One name... No last name... Nothing else... Just one. Seth was highlighted as recently deceased... She had known that... That was stupid. She sighed softly and rolled her eyes. She had hoped she would be wrong. Apparently not... Beside his name was the Shadow's report. Seth had fought them. The Shadows refused to cooperate and drag him. Therefore Seth was still on Earth. Probably what had sent Briel out in such a hurry. Her eyes continued to scan, her gaze pausing on the information there... Another name... Flo? She blinked and scanned on. Red, Sally, Ramone, Lightning... That couldn't be! The entire town was slowly popping up highlighted as a possible newly deceased. It hadn't happened yet... However, the book felt it was going to... Death by fire?

She let out a startled yelp and shot her gaze back to the door. Briel was gone... Probably gone to talk to Death himself maybe... Or maybe he decided that he wouldn't even include Death and go to collect Seth on his own. From there she knew them. They wouldn't help the town only try to figure out how they were going to collect all those souls. Either way... She couldn't let it happen. Cautiously she edged back around the desk and bumped the door open. The hall was quiet but for the soft tapping of someone on a computer. She quietly edged out into the hall someone clearing their throat startling her.

"He's not going to be happy about that."

Ebony spun around to shoot Lori, a pretty little Nissan and Briel's personal assistant, a somewhat guilty look. The little blue coupe sighed and rolled her eyes. "He should be back in an hour. He went to talk to Death then go down to Earth. Be back before he comes back and I won't say anything." She stated simply then went back to her work.

Ebony could only grin and hurried out of the office as fast as she could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The silence was thick and uncomfortable. Like walking through a haze. A morbid and disturbing haze...

"Oh come on you two! Even the chance of meeting up with Damien or Death isn't as bad as you two staring at each other!" Henry yelled, breaking the deafening silence that had fallen upon the three. The silence of two vehicles who absolutely did not know where to start, to even begin to speak to each other...

Chick gave Henry a sour look then set back to driving across the road, carefully keeping the other stock car between himself and his father. Only Chick's engine sounded among the trio. The other two held temporarily physical bodies but still their engines where near silent, only the soft unnatural whine of death emitting from beneath their hoods.

Henry glared at the two a moment more before shooting Ralph a smile. "Hey, ya know Chick won a Piston Cup..."

"I saw..." Ralph mused, his gaze for a moment turning to Chick. Chick gave a brief shudder and seemed to turn his attention flatly to the road ahead of him.

"You know..." Ralph stared but to his surprise Chick let out what close sounded like a snarl and rounded off on his father.

"Don't even start old man!" The green stock car yelled, standing his ground and for the first time in his life forcing his father to a grinding halt. The surprise that crossed the older stock car's features was clear, though it quickly faded to irritation.

"Listen here boy-"

"No you listen Dad!" Chick snarled, his eyes narrowing on the stock car. The last he had seen him he had looked old and feeble. Very briefly... He couldn't even remember when but it was after he had started making a name for himself. Now the car looked as Chick remembered from his childhood. Younger... Much younger... The high of his racing career. That face that would smile for the cameras that snapped his picture after a win, no matter how underhanded the win had been. That face that would smile for the reporters and claim that it was all about the win... That face Chick hated so much.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore old man!" Chick almost barked, the somewhat surprised look that crossed his father's face only pressing him on. "I'm not about to back down to you anymore. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to know you. As far as I'm concerned you can go straight to hell where you belong." Chick snarled, pressing a somewhat sad look to cross Ralph's features.

"You just might get your wish boy." He mused softly.

"Good riddance." Chick snapped and turned on a tire to head back in the direction they where going. "You certainly put us through enough of it. I never could figure out why you hated us so much but I'm through. Let's just get this over with so I can go home."

"Hated you?" Ralph questioned, a somewhat irritated tone reaching into his voice. "Is that what you thought?" He called, but it wasn't about to stop the younger car who simply kept driving.

"Boy you hold it right there!" Ralph barked out, though for the first time in both living and death he paused and rethought that.

Henry stopped beside him and silently regarded the car that had once been a rival on the track... Though it had been closer to the end of his own career.

"Chick!" Ralph's voice rang out again, soft desperation touching his voice. His son would hear none of it.

"Chick please look at me!" Chick silently spun around to face off with his father, gaze narrowed at him in irritation.

"I never hated you or your brother and sister... I only wanted what was best for all of you."

"Was what was best for us screaming at us? Was what was best for Hanna and Jake kicking them out because they didn't do your bidding? Was what was best for us locking us in that damn shed all those years? Hell I still have dings from some of the things you did and was that best for us to?" Chick yelled, temper flaring.

"No... Maybe mine... I don't know. I was angry but that wasn't an excuse either was it?" Ralph mused softly, pulling a puzzled look from Chick. At that puzzled look Ralph couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You see things a little differently when mortal emotions fade." Ralph explained softly. "They call it mortal blindness... How... Are your brother and sister? Where I am they don't let me see you all as much as I would like..."

"Their good..." Chick whispered softly, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Hanna and her husband are happy... They have three kids. Jake is... Well Jake is Jake but he's happy..."

Ralph smiled and the look was almost... Fond... Something almost alien on the car that Chick had known. "That boy was always his own... Hanna to."

Chick paused for a moment, his gaze slowly lifting to meet his father's. "How's Mom?"

The look that crossed Ralph's features were unmistakable... Pain... "I... Don't know..." He admitted softly. "I'm not allowed to see her..."

Chick flinched and nodded slowly. "Seth... Told me that she was alright where she was... He said that she..."

"I know." Ralph offered, a brief smile crossing his grill. "Seth is a good car. He told me that as well... Once he even brought a message over from her. From where she is..."

A brief smile flickered across Chick's grill as he nodded.

"You know I'm proud of you son." Ralph muttered softly.

"I know... I got your letter..." Chick muttered softly.

Ralph had almost forgotten about that... He had written it before he died... Left it in the house. He supposed Chick would have probably found it when he came to claim the property.

"I also found the race clippings..." Chick prodded on.

"Ah those... Never missed a race ya know." Ralph stated, smile crossing grill at the thought. "Not a single one..."

Chick couldn't help the smile in response.

"Chick..." Ralph finally said, his tone turning serious. "About that Piston Cup..."

"I wanted to prove something..." Chick admitted, a shake of his grill given, speaking just a bit to fast now. "I wanted to prove to you I could do it."

"I know that now... Then I was just proud... Still am... But son it's not worth it."

"I know..." Chick admitted, eyes closing tightly. For a moment all he could see was the flash of blue as The King flew across the track. He had been lucky... He wasn't sure if he could handle it now, knowing that he had caused the death of his once friend... It was sad to think they had once been friends...

"Don't be me Chick. You're turning out to be the very car you don't want to be... It was stunts like that, that ruined my own career... Though forget the career. The career... It's your life but in the end it doesn't matter much. You know that... I know that now... It's just a job. It will get you absolutely nowhere if you're me..." Ralph insisted, drawing a slow nod from Chick.

"The only place it will get you is alone..." Ralph then stated simply.

That... For whatever reason stung just a bit. Chick blinked as he backed up a few inches. Pete and Max were like his family... His pit crew were his friends... Sometimes he would catch a drink or two with all of them after a race and laugh for hours as that pumped feeling of driving at break engine speeds around a track slowly wore off. It would be two or three in the morning and no one was in any shape to sleep, therefore the light would often find them sitting in an all night diner, exchanging stories and jokes and details of the previous day's race. Then there was Hanna and Jake... Sometimes they even came to races. Jake on his own, Hanna with her family when time would allow for it and it wasn't far to travel... What if he lost them? What if he lost Max or Pete or the pit crew? What about Jake and Hanna? What if that little stunt he had pulled with The King... Had cost him them? What if they had turned away from him to?

The thought was stunning... He had people to loose... He never thought he had... He did. He cared what they thought. He loved them... In the blink of an eye he could have lost them. Hell he could have been the one taken away from them! His stunts were dangerous. What if The King had been able to regain his traction faster? What if he had swerved and overcorrected towards Chick rather than away from him? He would have run Chick himself right into the wall. At those speeds... He could only imagine what that would have even looked like.

His family would have grieved for a little while... Other than them, absolutely no one would have thought twice of the grouchy old race car and he knew it. They would have said good riddance... Just as he had his own father a few minutes prior...

"Dad..." Chick whispered quietly the stock car slowly sinking on his shocks until his frame rested against the ground. "I'm so sorry..."

Ralph only nodded slowly and rolled forward nuzzling his son. Something he would have never dared do in life... "I love you son... I am proud of you weather or not you really know that... You're not me. Not yet. You're Chick Hicks..."

Chick smiled and nodded a bit, a soft chuckle let out. "Ain't no hick like a Hicks."

Ralph laughed out loud in response. "Quoting your grandpa I see..."

"He had some good ones..."

"Oh how touching..."

The three of them snapped to attention as the dark voice sounded out close by. Henry pulled his attention away from the duo who were quickly getting to their tires, and spun around to face off with the dark Roadster.

From the shadows, a slow malicious smile spread 'cross Damien's grill. "Surprise..."

"Go!" Henry barked out, sending Ralph and Chick off in a hurry, the red stock car quickly following behind. Seth had told them not to engage... However, he hadn't said anything about them being stupid enough to stand around and get themselves found...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"For the last time Sheriff! Calling me an idiot is not going to change the facts. I snuck into Doc's Clinic. I found the sedatives I would need. I took them. I killed myself. Those are the facts, deal with them." Seth snapped, as Sheriff pulled steadily up behind him.

"Dang it Seth I wish for just once you would stop and listen..."

"No Sheriff." Seth shot back. "I've done my listening. This town is going to go on. I had no other choice."

"There were plenty of other choices!" Sheriff barked, the two locked in a rather heated debate over Seth's own mortality. Rather currently lack there of...

"Like what?" Seth called back almost off handedly.

"Well..." Sheriff paused and blinked as he raked his mind for something... Anything... He came up with nothing.

"Exactly..."

"Seth!" They both spun around as a loud pop accompanied with the sound of Seth's name being screamed out touched down.

"Ebony? What are you doing here?" Seth questioned, sounding honestly stunned as her tires touched down and she rushed up to the two.

"Saving your bumpers! What the hell did you do?"

"We've been over this already... You were not present for the conversation. Must I further fill you in?" Seth questioned, one eye quirked but Ebony would only shake her grill.

"Forget it I already know what you did you idiot. That's not the point. Names are popping up in the book... Seth it's everyone! Yours, Flo, Ramone, Sally... Everyone in this town."

Seth blinked in honest surprise and behind him he heard Sheriff choke.

"How?" Seth questioned, his frame tilting to the side. If she had this information she probably had more.

"Fire..."

The three of them jumped in place as lightning cracked across the night sky, the thick cloud bank that had descended upon the town rumbling like an angry beast. Ebony shuddered, her gaze once more dropping to meet Seth's. "I think the boss is going to be coming for you soon to..."

"That's what I'm counting on." Seth stated simply but Ebony shook her grill. "Not the boss boss... I think Briel is going to take matters into his own tires..."

Seth cursed softly in response his gaze narrowing for a moment. That wasn't good... It also didn't go with his plans at all... "Do you think he's going to attempt to hide all that is happening from Death?"

Ebony shook her grill quickly. "I don't know... He didn't say anything but he seemed very determined when he left the office..." Again lightning cracked across the sky, followed by an even louder pop that came with no light, nor was it any kind of Thunder.

Seth instantly snapped to attention as his gaze traveled across the dark streets. Another loud crack followed by a very clear rushing sound that signaled someone crossing the veil. "I'm guessing Briel doesn't know you're here." He commented, his gaze settling on Ebony. She quickly shook her grill. "Go... I can handle this from here."

She cast her gaze upward a moment and shook her grill once more. "I'll take whatever they can dish out. I've been in this to this point I'll ride it out from here."

"That's stupid." Seth stated flatly.

"So was suicide."

"...Valid point..." Seth admitted slowly quietly dropping the issue. If she wanted to throw away her own afterlife he could do nothing to stop her. All he could do was make sure she knew he disapproved.

There was a light coming in from... Somewhere... Light so bright it looked like fire had descended upon the town. Another crack of lightning came with it, disguising the touchdown under cover of storm. Then it was quiet but for the rushing wind...

"Time to face the music." Seth commented evenly and pulled into drive. Ebony and Sheriff exchanged a worried look and silently pulled forward, trailing along after Seth.

The humid heat of the desert was dropping in leaps... What had been uncomfortably hot and sticky was at the moment turning abnormally cool... Then dropping right down to freezing as fog formed on windows and just the briefest patches of ice formed on the streets where the water puddled.

"You two keep back." Seth whispered softly, as he silently pulled up into the street and waited, leaving Sheriff and Ebony to wait beneath one of the failing shelters of the businesses of the town that had long been gone.

Another crack sounded out, the storm briefly flaring up, then silence once more. If all the activity disturbed Seth he showed no sign of it. Several minutes they remained silent and still. There was movement up and down along the street. The shadows themselves seemed to quiver before lifting up off the pavement, shrieks let out from the locked souls as they lifted up from the ground and walls, sliding into the street like liquid fire.

Shadows flickered around Seth's fenders causing the little car to shift uncomfortably, resisting their pull. A final attempt to get him to go with them. They wanted him to come peacefully. There was no doing...

He wasn't moving. A little more force used. A rather bold shadow pushed against him, causing Seth to slide a few feet. Still he wasn't moving. The Mustang bucked like his namesake, and ducked out from under the shadow. That was it... They scattered. The shadows were done...

There was someone coming up the road. Three someones actually... Two vehicles a pure white in color. A BMW and what looked like a classic Corvette. Behind them... Something rather odd trailed along behind. It wasn't a vehicle... It walked on its two back tires, its entire body seeming to be vertical to the ground. It's two front tires where extended and hung limply at its sides. A dark cloth like a tarp of some kind had been wrapped around it, shrouding it in darkness. Dark mist seemed to cloud around it, hazing its form in the night.

"What is that?" Sheriff whispered softly to Ebony, gaining a shrug from the young Viper.

"I'm not sure... But I think it might be Death..."

Sheriff swallowed hard and fell silent.

"Seth!" The voice was booming and it defiantly came from Briel. Seth didn't even flinch as the BMW approached, almost seething as he stared down the Mustang. "What is the meaning of all this?"

"You know what the meaning of all this is Briel. I want to speak to Death. No one else will do."

"Seth this isn't debatable. You took your own life!"

"I'm not here to debate. I didn't do this to debate. I want to speak to Death." Seth stated simply, his gaze sweeping past the two. The Corvette... Gabriel... Only let out a soft snort, seeming to only be present incase things got out of tire... So long as there was nothing hostile he was remaining quiet.

"I am here. Speak." Sheriff set back against the side of the building he and Ebony where against, a shiver running from the treads of his tires all the way up to his emergency lights. The voice was a soft whisper, but it seemed to ring out and darken every part of him.

There was no where he could hide that the impossible cold and memories of death and pain couldn't touch him.

"Maybe you should go..." Ebony whispered from beside him. "From what I know... Death's voice isn't pleasant for mortals to hear."

"I'm fine." Sheriff insisted, drawing a soft sigh from Ebony but nothing more.

"Did you know that a rogue death has been tormenting these fine people?" Seth questioned, gesturing to the town behind him.

Death's reaction was impossible to read, but Sheriff could have sworn he picked up a soft growl. "No... I was not aware of this. Why was I not aware of this?" His attention had turned fully on Briel.

"Sir we have been dealing with the problem to the best of our abilities and there is no proof in reasoning that this is a rogue death. Just last week Seth here was positive that we were dealing with a rogue demon. Now he claims it's a death which as we all know has never happened before." Briel growled out, a sharp glare cut in Seth's direction.

"Sir it destroyed the soul of a priest! It's draining the sanity form a citizen of this town! I believe through its presents here its also managed to bring on engine failure in another citizen. In yet another citizen he plagues the nightmares... I have seen this creature do things that only death is even capable of dreaming of. Sir I'm certain of it."

The figure moved closer... Still shrouded in darkness, but one of the abnormally long fore tires reached out. Sheriff shuddered and pressed just a bit further back. At the end of the dark tire was a flat outlay, five short digits extended from it.

"What's wrong with his tires?" Sheriff whispered, causing Ebony to cast a quick glance at him.

"It's not a tire..." She only whispered. "It's called a hand... I think... I heard Seth once say that Death had hands..."

"It's... Odd lookin'."

"I'm sure he's saying the same about us." Ebony whispered, drawing a slow nod from Sheriff.

The 'hand' extended out and lightly touched Seth's prow causing the vehicle to jump and cringe under the touch of his former boss.

"You have come to full mortality..." Death mused softly, as Seth shuddered. "You care for these people..."

"I wouldn't lie to you Death. These people... Are good vehicles. I will go willingly from this plane but not unless I know these people are going to be alright. That includes this rogue Death. He can't be here."

Sheriff and Ebony jumped as what sounded like an explosion ripped through the air. Their attentions snapped upward towards the source. The sound had been the transformer from a power pole going, sparks raining down as lightning popped, the sound of an engine ripping through the night. A racer's engine...

"Damn it I told them not to engage..." Seth growled, turning until he faced the commotion. Another loud pop as electrical lines went down, sparks flying as lights around town abruptly shut off casting the town to darkness. Sheriff sighed and flipped on his headlights, attempting to see where the source was coming from. It sounded like it was coming from Flo's café... More sparks flew, this time he was sure of it... As sparks touched down, brief flare of light shot up. One of them had apparently crashed into the oil cans at some point. They lay scattered across the street. The brief thought that Flo would be pissed flashed through Sheriff's mind. However, it was quickly chased away as the oil sparked to life. Fire lit the fluid, quickly ripping along the ground towards the café.

Sheriff cursed and threw himself into gear, his engine roaring as he moved down the street. If the fire hit the fuel lines of the café the whole place would go up!

From somewhere to the right of his line of vision he spotted a streak of white Corvette moving past him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Chick get out of there!" Chick flinched under the assault, following Henry's yelled out instructions as he surged out from under the fallen beams that had managed to cut him off from his only exit. He was trapped...

Trapped like a rat... He really should have rethought this. Ralph and Henry were already dead. Of course this thing was going to come after something that was alive... Ever since they had taken off from it, it had zeroed in on Chick. The other two were only somewhat of an aggravation.

They rushed for Flo's café... Unfortunately that had proved an error as well. Within' moments Damien had brought the roof down on them... Literally... It couldn't keep Henry and Ralph bound in but Chick was trapped.

There seemed to be metal everywhere... Power lines went down, keeping him from his only possible escape... Though that wasn't what had him worried... Sparks flew and a few yards away from him near the street the spilled oil flared into flames. He shuddered and pressed back into the metal beams. The oil... He had spun out into it when Damien had chased them into the café... The realization that not only was it all over the ground, but it was all over him as well was... Disturbing to say the least...

"Chick!" From somewhere behind the building flames he could hear his father call his name. Flames flared up around him, spreading across the oil slicked streets and lightning the dry underbrush around the side of the café. The fire was spreading fast under the dry conditions... The underbrush lit, the flames leaping to Ramone's shop. From there it leapt to a deserted old building that had once been a bar back in the day... From there the flames leapt again, catching the roof of Flo and Ramone's home...

"Dad, Henry! Get everyone out of that house!" Chick yelled out, silently backing up until his rear fender hit metal.

"Oh I think it's yourself you should be worried about." The fact that Damien seemed to have appeared from nowhere, stepping through the fire as if it was nothing should have really surprised him he suppose...

As it was it didn't... "Chick... Really... A fine pickle you've managed to get yourself into now isn't it?"

"Screw you Damien!" Chick shot back, but it only seemed to bring the demon car a bit of humor.

"Oh Chick... Really... Couldn't outrun anyone in your races. Had to cheat. Couldn't outrun me either. Truly... This is an improvement. Don't you think?"

Chick pressed back against the metal behind him as the car rounded off, as if speaking to an old friend. Even so there was nothing more intimidating...

"Don't listen to him Chick!" Ralph's voice.

"Dad Flo's house is on fire go!" He yelled out but his attention was quickly turned back to Damien.

"Henry's got it!" Ralph shot back. An odd time to be having this discussion really...

"Chick... Your problems are right here in front of you..." The roar of the fire seemed to din to nothing as Damien cornered him up in the wreckage that had been the front of Flo's café... "You're going to die tonight Chick. I think that's something you should be more worried abou-at!" The last word was very abruptly cut off as the roadster was suddenly pulled backwards, dragging him hard across the lot and down the street, pulling with him half the burning wreckage and creating a clear path for Chick to move.

A path that wasn't taken for several minutes as Chick blinked dumbly at the space Damien had been drug through... "What the hell?" He questioned to the air around him as he was left with only the roar of the fire. Which was quickly overtaking that way out! He yelped and surged forward, the burn of fire licking at his tires as he scooted his way out of the wreckage.

He nearly hit the buildings across the street as he skidded to a stop, panting softly as he attempted to shrug off the sting of the burns on his fenders. His tires didn't feel right. He imagined the intense heat very well might have started them melting. He quickly shot his gaze up the street, the road lit to near daylight by the natural light the spreading fire was throwing off. Damien was nowhere in sight.

That bit of information caused him to once more give a rather dumb blink, unable to process that beyond what it was.

"Chick! Come on!" He shook himself out of his trance and quickly bolted after his father.

"What happened?"

"That tow truck Mater! He was the first one out of the building. He got a hold of the Roadster with his tow cable and jumped into the back of Pete."

Chick blinked for a long moment unable to grip that information. However, sure enough off in the distance he could hear the low bellow of a semi truck, mixed with Mater's ecstatic woops, and Damien's infuriated yells, the Roadster to enraged and so much caught by surprise he seemed to have forgotten that he could have gotten out of that if he really wanted to.

"Don't look so surprised boy, that takes a whole new level of crazy to pull of somethin' like that." Ralph commented, quickly pushing Chick back and away from the fire. "Gabriel is helping Henry and Sheriff get everybody out of the house. Apparently the front caved in. They're trapped inside."

Chick growled softly, his gaze shooting back towards the house that was now fully engulfed in flames. "Well then come on!" He yelled, charging forward and back towards the flames.

Ralph sighed and surged forward himself, his tires hissing across the hot pavement.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The screams hit him before the roar of the flames or the heat... Cries of terror from people he had come to know as his friends... The smell of burning metal and oil churned his fuel tanks... Hell somewhere along the line he seemed to have become mortal enough to remember what being sick felt like.

Seth groaned softly as he watched Red struggle his way through the wreckage. The massive fire truck had holed himself up in the court house for over a week... Now he was all business, a determined look crossing his features as he poured water to the burning wood of the house. From somewhere Fillmore had come up, the van having left Sarge's side to help with this... Flames roared around them, the screams from within' pulling Seth to shudder.

From somewhere near Flo's café he could hear another commotion going on. A life and death fight... It seemed for a time Chick was holding his own, but he was still worried.

His attention was pulled from that back to the burning house as a triumphant cry went up. Red had pushed the fire back to the point that Mater had come out, his tow cable dragging behind him Lizzie. The old girl groaned softly, all the commotion way to much for her. Sheriff helped her detatch from Mater and quickly gave the tow truck a few instructions. All the commotion had brought Pete out of hiding the massive rig, jumping forward to offer his help. Apparently whatever Mater needed to do would require some strength that he just didn't have. Therefore Mater's tow cable was quickly removed and attached to the back of Pete, the little tow truck hopping aboard as they surged on through the flames and out of the area.

The fire wasn't giving up for a moment. It seemed to be pushing right back as quickly as Red was trying to put it out. From the flames, Flo suddenly emerged, leaning heavily on Lightning. The red sports car stopped in the doorway of the burning building as Flo struggled her way out, Gabriel quickly moving forward to help the show car out of the fire and into the yard. Once Flo was clear Lightning backed up and disappeared into the inferno again. Moment's later he reappeared, this time with Sally held between him and Ramone.

The young car was a wreck... Seth flinched as she was drug across the yard to safety, unable to so much as move. Behind them Luigi and Guido finally appeared and moved to the safety of the group, guided on by Henry who tagged along behind the old car having run a quick search through the house.

Seth let out a sigh of relief as the group quickly backed off, huddling in the night air. Flo slowly staggered to her tires, Ramone quickly moving over to her to check on his wife as Lightning gently nudged Sally.

"Is she alright?" Seth called over to the group, gaining a quick nod from Sheriff.

"Smoke!" He called back, pulling a nod from Seth. Smoke had overtaken their filters... A dangerous situation... There was a loud pop as some of the oil cans Flo had stacked blew, a wall of fire briefly shooting up before it quickly started to spread.

"Sheriff the café!" Flo yelled over the roar, drawing a nod from the old patrol car.

"Come on we gotta move!" He barked, nudging the group to their tires. They staggered forward, though only got a few feet before another round of pops sounded off, yet another stack of cans going up in flames.

Seth let out an aggrivated growl and set back, silently pulling out onto the street. "Seth did everyone get out?" Seth turned to face Chick, a morbid nod given.

"Yes but it won't matter if the café goes up."

Chick twisted around, a frown crossing grill as he nodded slowly. Above the steady roar of the flames, the low rumble of a semi broke through. Pete was coming back up the road, Mater hurrying along beside him, both of them noticeably without a Roadster.

"What happened?" Seth questioned as soon as they pulled up, gaining a somewhat morbid look.

"Little bugger disappeared on me." Pete grumbled, pulling a nod from Seth.

"Alright... Pete I need you to do one more thing for me. I need you to get together everyone who needs medical help and get them to the next down over. Got me?"

Pete nodded and quickly headed back for the group. If they played their cards right the entire town could very well clear out of here...

"Mater help him. I need you to go with Pete and make sure everyone stays together."

The tow truck nodded and leapt forward, surging on after Pete.

Seth's gaze then cut to Chick, who looked on stubbornly. "No way Seth."

"Chick this isn't your fight."

"Like hell it isn't! He had me cornered and my Dad is here. I have my reasons to want to be here." Seth only rolled his eyes and turned on a tire muttering something about stubborn mortals.

"You know you really should get out of here Chick." Ralph scolded, though that was only met with a death glare from his son. The older stock car wisely shut up about it.

From their viewpoint they could see the town loading up as much as they could. Lightning seemed to be the best off of them, his filters designed to take quite a bit of abuse as he surged around a track. Luigi and Guido were a bit out of breath, therefore chased onboard Pete with Sally and Flo.

Out of all of them, Mater and Lizzie seemed to have turned out fine. Mater had been the first one out, pulling behind him Lizzie. Within' moments the group was separated out and Pete was on the road with Lightning, Ramone, and Mater right behind him. Lizzie while not injured was quickly ushered into Sarge's house by Fillmore, the old hut about as solid as any military barricks. Sheriff felt they would be fine in there...

Red on the other had opted to remain out in the open. Fire hydrents had been opened in a desperate attempt to clear the streets of the burning oil, the building soaked. Flo and Ramone's home was gone, left behind with a burnt out shell of what was once a home. The apartment home Luigi and Guido shared was about to have a similar fate. The fire was spreading faster than Red could deal with it. Ramone's shop was still standing and it looked as if Luigi's tire shop was going to be alright if they could get the fire under control... That was a big if...

"Red get out of there!"

Sheriff's voice right behind him, broke through Seth's thoughts, the Mustang jumping straight into the air.

Red backed off of the fire, though kept a steady stream of water going. Though after the realization of just what was happening he quickly backed up, speeding back to where Sheriff and Chick were parked.

At that point, the fire finally hit the fuel tanks of the café. The explosion was thunderous. A fire ball ripped into the air as the fuel tanks caught a blaze. Just as quickly the flames seemed to freeze in motion, suddenly reversing and sucking back down disappearing into the tanks.

"Get back! It's gonna blow!"

If it wasn't for what was said time would have stopped in that instant. Red's voice boomed out above the roar of the flames shock alone driving the gathered group to hurry back and do as he said, tearing off down the street. Red wasn't about to let them stop. He was silent again, the blare of his horn driving them on. He had simply been around enough gas fires to know what was going to happen.

As quickly as the fire had disappeared under the streets, all hell broke loose. Flo's café went up in a second fireball, cracking the pavement around the place, a massive crater imploding the entire building in on itself. The crater spread, taking down Ramone's body shop with it, as well as Doc's garage with a heat so intense, the tires that were blown from Luigi's tire shop landed in heaps of goo when they finally came back down to earth. The intense roar spread just as quickly, moving down the street and engulfing buildings as it went.

The force was to strong. Way to strong. Red let out a sharp yelp of pain as he was thrown to the side like a toy fire truck, rolling several times before he came to rest safely near Sarge's home. Sheriff and Chick were caught up in the blast, the intense flame suddenly taking over the old patrol car as he was thrown into the side of the old library, the entire building coming down around him. Chick was pitched forward, rolling several times down the street before he came down on all four tires again, a little battered but none the worse for the ware.

"Wear's Sheriff?" Seth questioned, attempting to stop mid stride, but Ralph was pushing him on.

"Come on Boss!" He yelled out, urging him on. It was Henry who pulled off, quickly nosing his way through the wreckage that the old patrol car was locked underneath. Seth shot a snarl in Ralph's direction and quickly spun around, moving back to where he had last seen his friend.

There rubble everywhere. Dust filled the air, making it difficult to breath. "Sheriff!"

"Down here!" Not the Sheriff, but it was Henry. Seth moved quickly down into the wreckage, using the light of the flames outside to see by.

The old patrol car had gone through the glass of the front of the library, and flown into the rows and rows of books so seldom used. Now he was covered in them, only a corner of his fender sticking out from under the rubble.

"Come on, we gotta get him out of here." Henry barked, drawing Ralph to hurry to Sheriff's side. Between the two of them, they lifted him up, the three vehicles, dragging one alone with them as they moved back out onto the street. On the street, Red was just pulling himself to his tires. Chick was still sitting dazed in the street but it didn't look as if the fire was going to spread any further than it had. Unfortunately, the damage had already well been done...

Seth couldn't even look at the town he had grown to love. Flo's café was just a massive burning crater... The fire had been intense but short lived as it quickly burned off the bulk of its fuel. All the surrounding buildings were either gone or burnt out shells... The court house still stood, but even it had a little damage to the front... The impound lot as well as the Sheriff's station on the other side of town also still stood, but wreckage had been thrown all the way onto the roof of the latter, causing part of it to collapse. Lizzie's shop still stood but the blast had one wall of it clean off. The cozey cone was gone... The cone huts had been entirely ripped from the ground and tossed over like actual traffic cones...

It could have been worse... So much worse...

Seth shuddered to even think about it as they silently made their way back to a clearing well away from the burning remains of the town. Red let out a soft groan as he stopped to look back, the fire truck silently staring back at his home. Along side him Chick let out a soft groan of pain, his paint blistering under the intense burns of the fire.

As soon as Ralph and Henry released him Sheriff collapsed to the ground with a groan of pain. That pulled a look of worry from Seth. "Is everyone accounted for?" Seth questioned slowly.

"Fillmore and Sarge..." Henry muttered softly, but Sheriff was the one to speak up, a soft groan of pain muttered.

"In Sarge's bunker.. They'll be fine..." He muttered, gaining a nod from those gathered.

They were all fine...

It was a miracle that they were...

They were all fine...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I think he went this way sir!"

Ebony's voice rang out through the desert, the ebony Viper leading on. The looks she was getting from Briel were not exactly complimentary and forgiving... Though Death seemed rather content to allow her to lead off in the direction she had seen Damien move.

Not that he so much needed her. Now that they were getting closer he could feel Damien... Like some siren's call. He could sense Damien very close by.

"Stop." The order was soft but both Ebony and Briel stopped in an instant. The air seemed thick around them. A cold mist seemed to hang over the little clearing where they had stopped. It wasn't that far from town... Damien was getting bold...

"Show yourself." Death ordered simply. It didn't take long. The mist condensed. Seeming to twist in on itself as it solidified, grouping together into a single form.

"Heya boss... Long time no see." The attitude was as cocky as he remembered it. Death sneered through the darkness his cloak cast across his face.

"Bold Damien. A bit to bold. I'm told you've been causing quite the stir in this little town."

Damien laughed out loud in response, his thunderous laughter pulling the rolling storm in a bit more, lightning streaking its way across the sky. "Bold? Me? Ah but you are the one who had become a little bold in your old age. A new tomorrow is rising."

"Bold and cocky then." Death stated simply.

"You have no idea." Damien growled out. The Roadster surged forward. The much smaller Death stood his ground...

The impact was unavoidable. Upon connecting Death's frail form flew over Damien's hood, flipping and twisting in an unnatural contortion as his body crumpled to the ground. Ebony and Briel flinched briefly, though the silence was broken by Damien's dark chuckle. "I believe they have a word for that... That was easy."

"Bold, cocky, and stupid..." Now it was Damien's turn to flinch. The voice seemed to come from everywhere as Death's body abruptly dissipated in a fine mist.

"Truly... Do you think... That would work?"

The Roadster backed up a few paces, low snarl rising.

"I am Death. I choose who lives. Who dies. When it is your time to go. I have seen more angels of death run through the ranks than I can remember. I have seen entire civilizations rise and fall within' a breath... Did you truly think you could simply run me over?"

Damien let out a soft snort further backing up.

The wind came from seemingly nowhere, shadows ripping forth from the very trees. Ebony let out a scream and pressed against Briel's side. Despite their differences he allowed it. Even pushed her back, and out of the way.

Damien let out a snarl of rage, the Roadster forced back as the wind ripped around him. "Show yourself!" He yelled out into the night, but was only met by the shriek of the wind.

Shadows ripped upwards again. Where they may have hesitated to touch a former death before... No longer... These were the shadows of Death himself... Damien let out an enraged snarl, struggling against the hold as he was thrown back against a tree and held there. Slowly the mist began to solidify into that small frail form that Death had first appeared in.

Slowly he approached the fallen Roadster as Damien struggled against the iron like grip of the shadows. Slowly he leaned in so that only Damien would hear his soft voice.

"You could have been great Damien." He whispered softly. Slowly dark hands of ebony would lift, needle like claws tipping each digit. Those claws briefly scratched across Damien's flawless finish pulling a flinch from the car. Soft chuckle rang out through the darkness, those clawed hands lifting to the hood of his cloak and slowly pulled it back. Monsterous grin stared back at him, eyes burning deep ember. Grill elongated into canine muzzle, razor sharp teeth lining maw as the face of a Jackal stared right back. "You were one of mine. The darkest and deepest levels of hell are reserved for those guilty of treason... I will see you there dear sweet Damien." He almost cooed a clawed hand dropping to Damien's hood.

The car let out a shriek as Death's claws raked deep grooves across his hood.

"Take him." The shadows fell back as one, Damien letting out a terrified shriek as they dissipated. He went with them, sucked down into the shadows, fading back like some horrible nightmare.

Slowly Death rounded on the two remaining, a slow smile spreading 'cross his canine maw. "Come my companions. We put things right."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Seth's attention abruptly snatched upward as the shriek echoed across the landscape like rolling thunder. Those gathered... Battered and injured still looked to him for an answer. Slowly the clouds parted, the clear stars shining through the darkness. Slow smile crossed Seth's grill as he visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think... It's over." He whispered softly. He couldn't help but chuckle at the weak cheer that went up. It seemed everyone was rather content to remain curled up into a little ball and not move.

"Seth" The Mustang twisted around as Chick nodded his grill and snatched it to the right, suggesting the vehicle follow his gaze. Briel and Ebony were slowly making their way towards the group, with Death slowly trailing behind, his cloaked form a black dot against the sky. Gabriel silently got to his tires, the angel quickly moving to meet the group.

"Tell me you have good news." Seth pleaded. To his surprise the group stopped but for Death. The frail being slowly moved forward until he was just a few feet from the Mustang.

"Seth... You leave me with an impressive dilemma. What am I to do with you?"

"Give him his job back?" Ebony suggested, earning a slight glare from Briel.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Death commented, a dark hand lifting from the confines of his cloak, settling about where his chin was.

"Why not?" Ebony pressed, gaining a flinch from Seth.

Death heaved a sigh and lifted both hands, his cloak pushed back from his face. Soft gasp rose up, as those still of mortal world backed up just a bit.

"I suppose I do owe you now..."

"I suppose you do." Seth agreed softly.

"Therefore I suppose it would be only proper if I did grant you whatever it is you wish... Therefore if you want your old job back... Or to... Reverse this state." He commented, referring to Seth's current... Deadness... "You have only to ask."

Seth was silent for a long moment, his gaze shifting back over to Sheriff. The old patrol car only shot him a smile. Seth could very well save himself. Either way... Seth had a lot to prove. Maybe he could never redeem himself but he could damn sure try.

"Give the Priest back his soul."

That brought on a long stunned silence... Even from Death himself.

"The Priest?"

"The one that Damien killed... Give him back his soul. I know you probably can't save his life... But let him go through judgement."

"Seth. Not that I do not approve of what you are asking of me... However, I feel I must warn you. You have caused quite a bit of trouble. If you die now... If you go through judgement now. You will go to hell. Do you understand this?" Death questioned slowly, his canine head tilting to the side in bewilderment.

"Yes. I understand. I accept that. If you will give the priest his soul. Let him go wherever it is he belongs."

Slowly Death would lift one hand. "Done." With a snap of fingers they where gone. Radiator Springs was left to its silent destruction. Sheriff blinked a few times at the empty field they now sat parked in. In the distance flames still burned... The sky was clear up above for the first time in well over a week... Red, Sheriff, and Chick Hicks sat parked alone in a field... It was over...

Slowly the old patrol car attempted to get up, a sharp pain shooting through him. What about Seth. He groaned softly and collapsed once more to the ground. It truly was over...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This was something he had seen before... Much different now... Seth had stood before this panel thousands of times before... He had stood holding souls... Screaming... Crying... Begging for another chance. Another shot at life...

Then there were the others. Those who had lived a good life. Those who smiled up at judgement and knew they would be ok. Asked if they could see their family. Those were greeted with smiles and nods. Yes... They would see their family.

Seth should have been one of the former. Should have been pleading... Begging... Anything. He met his horrible fate with stoic silence. It would change nothing. So why should he scream? Why should he cry? He had always wondered why the souls he held before judgement even bothered. Though now... He knew... It was desperation.

"What have you to say in your own defense Seth?"

"Only that in my career as an angel of Death I have done some things I am not proud of... I have crossed some people I shouldn't have... In life... I would change absolutely nothing. You can say I was wrong all you want." He stated simply and lifted his gaze up to the council. "You wanted me to be a part of them. You placed memories into my thoughts. Those are my memories. Those people are my family. You can send me to the darkest corner of hell... But I will never take this back. I will always be there to protect those people." He stated flatly, his gaze casting downward again. To his humiliation he felt tears sting at his eyes. Had he truly become mortal enough to cry? It was absolutely ridiculous but still he felt the wet trail across his hood as he waited for judgement.

"Seth... There is still much to repent for. However... You cast your own life aside for that of Radiator Springs... To call upon Death you used death. You saved the lives of many of these people you claim to care fore... And when offered the chance to live... For your old job back... To save your own hide... You instead opted to save the soul of a priest."

Slowly Seth lifted his gaze, slow nod given. "The priest deserved to go through judgement like everyone else... He did not deserve... That fate... No one did..."

"The priest has been judged... He holds a place in the afterlife. He led a very good and honest life."

Seth let out a sigh of relief and smiled. At least one of them was getting out of this.

"You should know Seth. Many people have spoken for you. Pleas for us to show you mercy. Your friend Ebony... Ralph and Henry... The priest... Prayers from Sheriff and Chick and even Doc... They pray for your soul tonight Seth..."

Seth swallowed hard and nodded. "I'm... Sorry I hurt them. I had to do what I had to do."

That brought a round of nods.

"Death... Speaks for you Seth."

His gaze shot upward in surprise. Death?

"He asks us to spare you. To give you what you most desire. Even if it is not what you thought you desired. We feel... He is right. Therefore Seth... We grant you, what you desire."

Seth blinked at that, but his world had gone dark. In that moment, there was only blackness as his world shifted.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sheriff?"

The soft question was met with a groan as the patrol car shifted a bit. "Sheriff wake up."

Again that soft voice. One eye opened as light flooded his senses the old car flinching. He was truly getting to old for this...

"Doc?"

"Yep. How're ya feelin'?" Doc questioned softly, his frame tilting to the side as he watched his old friend.

"Like I've been hit by a truck..."

"Funny... What you were hit with was a lot bigger than a truck."

Sheriff only groaned at the memory. "What happened?"

"Once Pete got to the hospital they sent back the state patrol to Radiator Springs. They called in the fire department... Well and here you are. You're in a hospital. You've been out for days."

"Is everyone alright?" Sheriff questioned gaining another nod.

"Yep, everyone is fine. Even Sarge woke up. He doesn't remember a thing."

Sheriff couldn't help but smile at that bit of information a slow nod given. "Good... Everyone else?"

"A little banged up but no worse for the wear. Sally was the worst I think. She breathed in a lot of smoke. They cleared her up pretty well. Then there was you... Chick says the old library came down on you."

Sheriff nodded slowly, the old car letting out a groan. "That and about half of Flo's café was blown into me I think..."

Doc nodded slowly as the old patrol car shifted, asking what he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to.

"Seth..."

Doc frowned, hesitation written across his aging features.

Any answer he could give was cut off abruptly as the door opened. "Hey Doc I got that magazine you wanted and they don't have a local Starbucks but everyone I asked raved about some other place that has good oil."

Sheriff stared, shocked to silence as Seth pushed his way into the room. He didn't look... His frame was the same. A classic Mustang of deep black... Golden eyes were the same... There was something... Different. As if a weight had lifted from him.

"Dad you're awake!" He suddenly blurted the Mustang moving in close as Sheriff shifted back. "How do you feel?"

"I feel... Fine..." Sheriff managed.

"You don't look fine." Seth commented, one eye arched. "Tough old cop. Always want everyone to think that you're just peachy."

To Sheriff's surprise Seth smiled at him, open affection written across features. "I was worried about you Pop. Don't do that again alright?" He offered, the Mustang briefly nuzzling against his side, before pulling back.

"Seth, do you mind going and finding the nurse for me?" Doc questioned softly. Seth grinned and nodded, the Mustang quickly moving out the door agian.

"He doesn't remember a thing." Doc whispered as soon as Seth had disappeared from them. The memories of the others are... Sketchy. It's like the entire event was simply blurred... I can't get a clear answer from any of them."

Sheriff nodded slowly, though a smile was creeping its way across his grill. "Seth... Was given a choice. They offered to save him. Let him live... Or give him his job back... He opted to ask for the soul of the priest to be returned."

Doc smiled and nodded. "I'm guessing that proved very good for Seth as well."

Sheriff nodded slowly. He couldn't help but laugh. After all that had happened... After all that had gone over... Seth was back. Seth was alive... Seth was his son...

It was difficult for it all to sink in. The door opened again, a small blue Sedan making her way into the room followed closely by a rather worried Seth.

The car truly did look as if a weight had been taken off of him... As if the weight of the world no longer rest entirely on him.

"Hey Seth?" Sheriff muttered, the haze of much wanted sleep beginning to creep up on him.

"What's up Pop? You alright?"

"Yeah... Just... Thanks..." He muttered quietly.

"Thanks for what?"

Sheriff only smiled at the puzzled Mustang. "Thanks for things I pray you'll never know."

That was met by a puzzled blink. However, Seth wasn't about to get any further answers. As sleep crept on, his vision hazed to darkness. Everything was right again... They would all be fine...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Epilogue

Twilight... Not exactly his favored time of day. Sheriff tenderly hobbled around the station, a flinch given every time he moved. He hurt everywhere... He felt as if he had gone a few rounds with a rig...

Outside the day was clear and bright. Hammers banged down the street as the town was put back into order. It had taken some doing but a few calls from a historical society, a little funding from disaster aide, and a lot of begging from some old friends who wanted to look like the good guys on race day... Radiator Springs was slowly but surely being rebuilt. It had been a good week since that night... A good week he had spent in the hospital with a few other citizens of the little town... Already it was moving. They would have their home back by the end of the racing season at this rate... He let out a soft chuckle, his gaze trailing out the window for a moment. Outside Lightning was pulling drills again under Doc's watchful gaze. The boy was determined to make the start of the season. Tagging along behind Sally was being put under the same drills. Therapy for the wheeze that was still in her system. Behind her Seth... Just for the hell of it...

Sheriff let out a soft chuckle and shook his grill as he turned back to the task at hand. For a few days he had truly thought he was going crazy. Until he had come home... Into the room he had given Seth for the first time...

There he found the journals. He had almost forgotten his suggestion that Seth write in the old case books... He certainly hadn't thought the Mustang had taken his advice... However, now he stared at boxes upon boxes of the books. All filled with things that had been on Seth's mind. How things worked... Memories... Things he needed to know... Fears... It was all there. Every word.

It had been a long and hard debate upon what to do with them. Now... He had decided. Now all that was left was to close the door he supposed.

In the twenties it had been used to smuggle out confiscated things that could fetch a price, the Sheriff at the time not exactly having been squeaky clean about the way he did business. Sheriff still remembered the former Sheriff he had taken over from showing him the trap door in the floor. In his younger days he had simply thought it to be the neatest thing he had ever seen.

The previous Sheriff had used it for storage. Filled it will old files he didn't feel like going through. Sheriff had cleaned it out and left it empty. Now... It was filled with journals. He had considered showing them to Seth...

He knew he would probably hear about that in the afterlife... He had felt it was Seth's right to know his history. However, one look at Seth's face... Not a care in the world but for the welfare of his family and friends... Not a worry... Not a problem... Sheriff's mind had been quickly changed. He couldn't take that away from Seth. Not now...

"Pop you in here?"

Sheriff jumped a bit as Seth's voice rang out into the station. "Doc wants you to come across the street. He says the fresh air will be good for ya!"

Sheriff smiled and nodded at the young Mustang, a good stretch given. "Tell him I'm just cleaning up a few things and I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Cleaning? Need help?" Seth questioned, stepping into the darkness of the station.

"No Seth. This is something I need to do alone."

Seth nodded a bit to that and silently backed out, leaving his 'father' alone in the station again.

Sheriff chuckled softly and turned his gaze back to the journals. If ever Seth asked about them he had decided. If ever he remembered... If ever he questioned... They would be there. Until then...

With a flip of a tire the lid slammed shut on the journals. He quickly locked the trap door and pulled the old rug back over it covering it from view. Maybe one day he would tell Seth about them. Let him read them... Until then, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him...

Fin (Finally!)


End file.
